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07/09/26 05:36:00
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07/09 17:34 CDT Kylian Mbapp has a goal and an assist as France beats Morocco
2-0 in the World Cup quarterfinals
Kylian Mbapp has a goal and an assist as France beats Morocco 2-0 in the World
Cup quarterfinals
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) --- Kylian Mbapp had a goal and an assist after missing
a first-half penalty kick, Ousmane Dembl scored the other and France beat
Morocco 2-0 Thursday in the World Cup quarterfinals.
Mbapp's goal in the 60th minute was the 20th of his World Cup career and came
in his 20th match at the tournament, moving him one behind Argentina captain
Lionel Messi. Dembl scored his fifth goal of the tournament in the 66th.
Mbapp was taken down in the 76th minute and was taken off for a substitute a
minute later. He was then shown sitting on the bench with an ice pack on his
right ankle.
After the match and with both shoes on, Mbapp ran and jumped in celebration
with his teammates.
France will face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals in Dallas on Tuesday.
France beat Morocco by the same score in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament
in Qatar when the Atlas Lions became the first African team to make it that
far. France now remains on track to become only the third nation to play in the
final of three consecutive World Cups.
Mbapp got his goal with a perfectly placed shot just inside the far post after
Morocco failed to clear the ball. He received the ball just outside the area,
took a couple steps forward and then sent his shot sailing into the net. He
extended both arms and ran to the sideline to celebrate with his teammates.
France's second goal came after Mbapp took a pass and tapped it back for
Dembl. Mbapp kept running forward and took defenders with him, opening space
for Dembl's shot.
France held a 21-4 advantage in shots on goal and 8-1 edge in shots on target
for the game.
Mbapp also had the first shot on goal of the game, just missing wide right in
the fourth minute. Then, in the 25th, he was running up the left side when he
was chopped down in the box by Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui. Referee
Facundo Tello quickly pointed to the penalty spot.
Mbapp lined up waiting for his attempt but was held up by a lengthy video
review. He was finally cleared to shoot in the 28th minute, but after a
hesitation, Mbapp's shot toward the right corner was corralled by goalkeeper
Yassine Bounou, who guessed the direction of the shot correctly.
Mbapp made his only other penalty attempt at this year's World Cup in France's
1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16.
Still, France was by far the more active team offensively in the first half,
holding a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Morocco's best opportunity came just before the halftime whistle when Achraf
Hakimi sent a free kick from just outside the box past the right post.
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See more of AP's World Cup coverage here
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