Mbappe leads relentless French attack
France’s control was evident from the kickoff, and the numbers back up what unfolded on the pitch. Kylian Mbappe missed a first half penalty, saved by Yassine Bounou after Noussair Mazraoui brought him down, yet France kept coming, finishing with 21 shots to Morocco’s four and eight on target compared to just one.
Michael Olise and Desire Doue kept probing, and it showed in the chance creation numbers, 15 key passes to Morocco’s three and five big chances created to none. That pressure eventually told when Mbappe curled in his eighth goal of the tournament on the hour, before teeing up Ousmane Dembele six minutes later.
France’s dangerous attacks tally of 55 against Morocco’s 35 reflected just how much of the match was played in the final third.
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Morocco barely test France
Morocco held their own in possession, edging it 52 to 48, but struggled to turn that control into anything meaningful. They failed to register a single shot on target until an 83rd minute free kick from Azzedine Ounahi, and the numbers explain why.
Mike Maignan needed just one save all game, while Bounou was forced into six at the other end. France also won more duels, 40 to 36, and made almost double the interceptions, 11 to six, snuffing out Morocco’s attempts to build anything sustained.
It was France’s third clean sheet in as many knockout matches, a run built on a defence that barely needed testing against a Moroccan side missing the injured Ismael Saibari up front.
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Photo: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
