France into final with 2-0 win as Morocco go down fighting

Full back Hernandez stretched high after five minutes to hook in the first goal Morocco have conceded to an opposition player in the tournament after a scramble in the box, but the holders offered only occasional glimpses of their class.

Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Semi Final – France v Morocco – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar – December 14, 2022 France’s Randal Kolo Muani celebrates scoring their second goal as Morocco’s Yassine Bounou and Yahya Attiat-Allah react. Photo: Reuters

Morocco, disrupted by early injuries to two key defenders, recovered to cause no end of problems, with Hugo Lloris brilliantly saving Jawad El Yamiq’s overhead kick at the end of the first half and the outsiders pouring forward for much of the second.

However, they could not quite fashion a clear enough chance for the equaliser and were unable to extend the astonishing run that included victories over Belgium, Spain and Portugal and made them the first African team to make the semi-finals.

Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Semi Final – France v Morocco – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar – December 14, 2022 Morocco’s Jawad El Yamiq shoots at goal. Photo: Reuters

France settled it in the 79th minute when a brilliant dribble by Kylian Mbappe set up Kolo Muani to tuck in the decisive goal with his first touch less than a minute after coming on.

France will be hugely relieved to become the first defending champions to reach successive finals since Brazil in 2002 and can now look forward to Sunday’s showdown when they will bid to follow Brazil (1962) and Italy (1938) as the third team to retain the title.

AL KHOR, Qatar — France set up a heavyweight World Cup final against Argentina after an early goal by Theo Hernandez and a late one from Randal Kolo Muani ended battling Morocco’s dream run via an action-packed 2-0 semi-final victory on Wednesday.

Full back Hernandez stretched high after five minutes to hook in the first goal Morocco have conceded to an opposition player in the tournament after a scramble in the box, but the holders offered only occasional glimpses of their class.

Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Semi Final – France v Morocco – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar – December 14, 2022 France’s Randal Kolo Muani celebrates scoring their second goal as Morocco’s Yassine Bounou and Yahya Attiat-Allah react. Photo: Reuters

Morocco, disrupted by early injuries to two key defenders, recovered to cause no end of problems, with Hugo Lloris brilliantly saving Jawad El Yamiq’s overhead kick at the end of the first half and the outsiders pouring forward for much of the second.

However, they could not quite fashion a clear enough chance for the equaliser and were unable to extend the astonishing run that included victories over Belgium, Spain and Portugal and made them the first African team to make the semi-finals.

Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Semi Final – France v Morocco – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar – December 14, 2022 Morocco’s Jawad El Yamiq shoots at goal. Photo: Reuters

France settled it in the 79th minute when a brilliant dribble by Kylian Mbappe set up Kolo Muani to tuck in the decisive goal with his first touch less than a minute after coming on.

France will be hugely relieved to become the first defending champions to reach successive finals since Brazil in 2002 and can now look forward to Sunday’s showdown when they will bid to follow Brazil (1962) and Italy (1938) as the third team to retain the title.

The post France into final with 2-0 win as Morocco go down fighting appeared first on Vietexplorer.com.

View more from VietExplorer:

This Vietnamese student adds modern twist to ancient cloth
2022 Vietnam Art Photography Contest launched
Miss Peace Vietnam 2022 kicks off
Myriad activities underway to promote Vietnamese ethnic groups’ culture
9th Da Lat Flower Festival to be held by year-end
Vietnamese racer wins national cycling tourney’s 10th stage
Vietnamese rider wins national cycling race’s longest stage
Man City ride out Atletico storm to secure semi-final spot
SEA Games 31: Opportunity to promote Hanoi cultural destinations
SEA Games 31 medals revealed
Vietnam hosts ASEAN Film Week 2022
Coming to Suoi Do pagoda in spring
Vietnam steps up digitalisation of cultural heritage
Southern Don Ca Tai Tu contest kicks off
National Press Festival to return this month
Poetic Hanoi in leaf changing season
Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai display good performance in loss against Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos
Liverpool hang on for 3-2 FA Cup semi win over City
French cultural centre L’Espace moving next month
UNESCO to consider nomination of Xoe Thai as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity