Mbappé Misses Penalty → 'Fantastic Opener'… France Beat Morocco 2-0, First to Reach the Semis

At 3 a.m. on the 10th (local time), the first quarterfinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Mexico and Canada kicked off at Boston Stadium in the United States, as France faced Morocco. It was a rematch of the previous tournament's semifinal, which France won 2-0.

France were the side dictating the tempo. They pressed aggressively from the opening whistle and aimed straight for Morocco's goal. They also looked to set pieces early on to craft chances, but could not get past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Then in the 25th minute, France carved out a chance on the counter. Kylian Mbappé drove into the box with the ball, and centre-back Noussair Mazraoui committed a clear foul, conceding a penalty. However, in the 28th minute Bounou saved Mbappé's spot-kick, and the 0-0 deadlock remained unbroken.

Even after the missed penalty, the flow of the game stayed the same — France created the clearer openings, and Bounou put on a show of saves. Morocco, by contrast, struggled to manufacture chances, recording their very first shot only in the 5th minute of first-half added time, from a free kick.


The deadlock was finally broken in the 15th minute of the second half. With little space to work in, Mbappé still unleashed a right-footed shot past Issa Diop, and though there was hardly any run-up, the ball traced a beautiful arc and sucked into the net. It was the moment Bounou's fortress finally fell.

A second goal arrived in the 21st minute. Mbappé laid it off with a first-time pass to Ousmane Dembélé, who carried the ball forward and tried a low, precise shot. It looked as though Bounou might save it, but the ball spun off his hand and crept over the line, extending France's lead. No further goals followed, and the match ended 2-0 to France.

Meanwhile, France — the first team to book a semifinal spot at this tournament — are set to face the winner of Spain vs Belgium at Dallas Stadium in the U.S. on the 15th at 2 a.m.