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Mbappe, Dembele Score As France Beat Morocco 2-0, Move Into World Cup Semi-Finals
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France on Thursday booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarter-final in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Kylian Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 60th minute before Ousmane Dembélé doubled Les Bleus’ advantage six minutes later.
The result end Morocco’s spirited campaign and keeps France on course for a third World Cup title.
Mbappe recovered from having a first-half penalty saved to score a magnificent opener.
His weak spot-kick was easily saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, but he made up for that by producing a brilliant curling finish to make it 1-0 on the hour mark.
That was Mbappe’s eighth goal at the tournament, moving him level again with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, before he came off late on and watched the final minutes with an ice pack around his right ankle.
Before exiting, he set up Ousmane Dembele to run through and settle the contest watched by 63,811 at the Gillette Stadium, as France knocked Morocco out, just as they did in 2022.
Their 2-0 win four years ago in Qatar came in the semi-finals, and this time the victory for Les Bleus takes them through to the last four.
They will face Spain or Belgium in Dallas next Tuesday.
France are looking to reach a third consecutive World Cup final in their last tournament before long-serving coach Didier Deschamps stands down.
Winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, it has felt like they have eased through to another semi-final, and they were too strong for a Moroccan team lacking firepower in the absence of the injured Ismael Saibari.
Mbappe is one of the greatest goal-scorers of his generation, and the World Cup continues to bring the very best out of him.
After netting braces in the group-stage wins over Senegal and Iraq, as well as the last-32 defeat of Sweden, he got the only goal from the penalty spot against Paraguay in the last round.
He has now scored 20 goals in 20 World Cup appearances, within one goal of Messi’s overall tournament record of 21.
More could have been expected from Morocco, who had more of the crowd behind them but lacked a cutting edge in attack as France kept a third clean sheet in as many knockout games.
Dembele Also On Target
Nevertheless, they have plenty of exciting young talents — including former France Under-21 captain Ayyoub Bouaddi in their midfield — and will surely be a force to be reckoned with again when they co-host the next World Cup in 2030 alongside Spain and Portugal.
On Thursday they were just the latest team to find containing Mbappe at a World Cup to be an impossible task.
The Real Madrid star provoked the penalty as he was scythed down in the area by Noussair Mazraoui after a quick breakaway in the 25th minute.
Argentinian referee Facundo Tello immediately pointed to the spot, although a review was needed to rule out a foul on Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi in the build-up.
Maybe the wait got to Mbappe, whose kick was uncharacteristically weak and easily stopped.
It was a reminder that he remains human, just like Messi, who has squandered two penalties at this World Cup.
The excellent Bounou frequently kept France at bay in the first half, notably tipping a Desire Doue shot around the post after Bouaddi was robbed of the ball.
Lucas Digne crashed a shot onto the top of the bar from distance as the opening half ended goalless, but France got the reward for their pressure 15 minutes after the restart.
Doue slipped the ball to Mbappe just outside the area, and he controlled before using Issa Diop as a screen to direct a superb strike into the net.
France’s all-time leading marksman now has 64 international goals from 104 appearances.
His lay-off in the 66th minute allowed Dembele to advance on goal and curl a shot low into the same corner, a hand from Bounou proving unable to make it 2-0.
Dembele is the reigning Ballon d’Or and now has five goals at this World Cup, but Mbappe continues to hog the limelight.
AFP
The Super Falcons of Nigeria were up against South Africa in the 2027 Women’s World Cup play-off and needed a victory to move to the next stage – the intercontinental play-offs.
Two tickets were up for grabs, with four losing quarter-finalists at the 2027 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) battling for them.
Already, Ghana has defeated Côte d’Ivoire to pick one of the tickets. Thank you for following the live updates of the South Africa vs Nigeria 2027 Women’s World Cup play-off game.
98′ – It is full-time, and Nigeria have lost 2-1 against South Africa. It is the end of the road for the Super Falcons, who won’t be at the World Cup for the first time since the tournament’s inception.
93′ – Ucheibe scores for Nigeria.
92′ – Nigeria gets a penalty, and it is also a red card for South Africa after their player blocked the ball with her hand.
91′ – Justine Madugu gets a yellow card.
77′ – South Africa scores the second goal. It is 2-0 against Nigeria.
75′ – Uchenna Kanu’s header is parried away for a corner kick.
60′ – Chiamaka Nnadozie saves Nigeria, preventing South Africa from scoring again.
56′ – South Africa takes the lead! It is 1-0 to the Banyana Banyana!
54′ – Justine Madugu throws Joy Omewa into the fray. She replaces Asisat Oshoala.
48′ – Oshoala shoots into the goalkeeper.
46′ – The second half is underway!
HT: It is half-time in an evenly balanced game in the 2027 Women’s World Cup play-off between South Africa and Nigeria.
45′ – One more minute added. It is still no goal yet.
40′ – Michelle Alozie’s shot goes narrowly wide for a goal-kick to South Africa.
35′ – No goals in Casablanca in a game of few chances.
28′ – Rasheedat Ajibade’s free kick straight to the South African goalkeeper.
23′ – A South African ball over the top fails to find any Banyana Banyana.
20′ – Twenty minutes in and nothing has separated the teams. No clear-cut chances so far from either country at the Moulay Rachid Stadium.
10′ – Nigeria are pressing for an early goal, but it is still goalless.
1′ – The World Cup play-off between South Africa and Nigeria has kicked off!
Barcelona have reached a final agreement with Paris Saint-Germain for Ferran Torres in a deal which will see the Spain star head to Parc des Princes on a transfer worth €50 million.
The two clubs have been in talks for a while and the deal is now done, according to Fabrizio Romano. Torres has been absent from Barcelona training for the last two days and is now heading to Paris to complete his move.
Torres will sign a five-year contract with PSG and link up with Luis Enrique’s side after scoring the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final.
The 26-year-old was into the final year of his contract at Barcelona but will now seek a new challenge in Ligue 1 with the French giants.
Barcelona had reportedly been reluctant to extend Torres’s contract, as they would have had to pay an extra €8 million to Manchester City, while there’s been speculation the Spain star was happy to move on after feeling undervalued by Barca.
Cameroon shocked hosts Morocco 3-1 on penalties on Wednesday night to reach the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a tense semi-final ended goalless following extra time in Rabat.
The Indomitable Lionesses held their nerve at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium after 120 minutes without a goal.
Morocco had a golden chance to settle the game in the 118th minute when they were awarded a penalty, but Fatima Tagnaout failed to convert, leaving the hosts to pay a heavy price for the miss.
Marie Ngah, Rose Bella and Myriam Nyadjou scored for Cameroon in the shootout, while Hanane Aït El Haj was Morocco’s only successful taker. Kenza Chapelle, Meryem Atiq and Sakina Ouzraoui all missed as Cameroon secured their fourth appearance in the WAFCON final.
Cameroon remained organised and continued to frustrate the hosts until the end of regulation time. Extra time followed, with the match seemingly heading for penalties before Morocco were handed their best opportunity two minutes from the end.
Tagnaout took responsibility from the spot but could not beat the goalkeeper, sending the game into a shootout.
Morocco had won their previous two WAFCON semi-finals on penalties, against Nigeria in 2022 and Ghana in 2024, but their luck deserted them this time.
Aït El Haj converted Morocco’s first penalty before Chapelle missed the second. Ngah scored for Cameroon, although Grace Mendoua missed the Indomitable Lionesses’ next attempt. Bella then put Cameroon back in front, while Antique failed to convert Morocco’s third.
Nyadjou scored Cameroon’s fourth penalty, leaving Ouzraoui with the task of keeping Morocco’s hopes alive. She missed, confirming Cameroon’s 3-1 victory in the shootout.
The win is a major boost for Cameroon, who had lost their previous three WAFCON penalty shootouts, including their 2018 semi-final defeat by Nigeria.
The Indomitable Lionesses have now eliminated defending champions Nigeria and hosts Morocco in successive knockout rounds.
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