Kylian Mbappe overcame a first-half penalty miss to score and set up another goal, leading France to a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals on Thursday and securing a third consecutive semifinal appearance for Les Bleus.
The French captain saw his 28th-minute spot-kick saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after a VAR review awarded the penalty for a foul on Mbappe. However, Mbappe redeemed himself in the 60th minute, curling a brilliant shot into the far corner from the edge of the box to break the deadlock.
Six minutes later, Mbappe turned provider, setting up Ousmane Dembele, who fired home from close range to double France's lead. Mbappe was substituted in the 77th minute with an apparent injury, sitting on the sidelines with an ice pack on his right ankle.
The goal was Mbappe's eighth of the tournament, tying him with Argentina's Lionel Messi at the top of the World Cup scoring chart. It also took his career World Cup tally to 20 goals in just 20 matches, leaving him one behind Messi's all-time record of 21. Mbappe is now the second-highest scorer in World Cup history and the first player to score eight goals in two different World Cups.
France, champions in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, have now reached the semifinals in three straight tournaments. They will face the winner of the Spain-Belgium quarterfinal in Dallas on July 14 for a place in the final.
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