France shatter Morocco’s fairytale performance at Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

* Next meet Croatia in third place play-off on Sunday whom they drew 0-0 in group stages

* Coach Didier Deschamps’ men are hoping to become the first team to win consecutive titles in 60 years – and just the third in history

* Senegal made it into the knock out stages but Tunisia, Cameroon and Ghana bowed out in group stages

Maravi Express

Reigning World Cup champions France booked their place in the final to shatter Morocco’s fairytale run at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup — but still the Atlas Lions can continue their historic performance as they will have to gun for the third place against Croatia.

Morocco were in the same group with Croatia whom they drew 0-0 in their last match having beaten Belgium 2-0 and Canada 2-1 to book their place in Last 16 where they beat world giants Spain 3-0 to become the fourth African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup — following in the footsteps of Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).

None from the Mother Continent, however, had ever made it to the last four. In Qatar, Senegal made it into the knock out stages where they lost 0-3 against England in the Round of 16, having qualified in Group A alongside hosts Qatar (3-1), Ecuador (2-1) and Netherlands (0-2).

Tunisia, Cameroon and Ghana never made it to the knockout stages in their groups — Tunisia in Group D with France (1-0), Australia (0-1) and Denmark (0-0); Cameroon in Group G with Brazil (1-0); Serbia (3-3) and Switzerland (0-1 while Ghana in Group H were against Portugal (2-3); Uruguay (0-2) and South Korea (3-2).

A report by Fox Sports takes note that the semifinal was after a hard-fought that saw the defending champions winning 2-0 to book a date with Argentina in the final on Monday in which coach Didier Deschamps’ men are hoping to become the first team to win consecutive titles in 60 years – and just the third in history.

Fox Sports says the match was far from a vintage attacking performance from the European heavyweights, but rather a masterclass of pragmatism.

France sat deep and ceded possession in order to nullify the dangerous Moroccan counter-attack, earning their first clean sheet of the tournament while counter-attacking themselves to deadly effect.

The European heavyweights got off to a perfect start with a Theo Hernandez goal in 4 minutes and 39 seconds – the earliest in a semi-final since Brazil in 1958.

Despite being decimated by injuries, Morocco fought back gamely and threatened the world champions time and again, with both sides striking the post in the first half.

Far from being overawed by the occassion or bowed by the early deficit, Morocco continued to push forward in the second period and had the reigning champions under siege for extended periods, only for France to seal victory with a goal from substitute Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th minute.

“There is emotion and pride,” French coach Deschamps is quoted as saying . “Obviously it was another important step today and now there will be another one.

“We’ve been together for a month. It’s never easy, but here it is — it’s been a joy so far and my players have been rewarded.”

It took just five minutes for Morocco’s defence to be breached for just the second time in the tournament. Defender Raphael Varane played Antoine Griezmann behind the defence with a pinpoint through ball, and Griezmann raced into the box and cut the ball back for Kylian Mbappe.

The PSG star’s shot was blocked, but it bounced to the back post where fullback Theo Hernandez acrobatically volleyed into the net.

Both sides came close to scoring in a thrilling first half, with France striker Olivier Giroud and Morocco’s defender Jawad El Yamiq both hitting the post, the latter with a bicycle kick.

The underdogs were decimated with injuries, losing Nayef Aguerd in the warm-ups, captain Romain Saiss after 21 minutes, and Noussair Mazraoui at half-time — three of their starting defenders.

But Morocco had the French under significant pressure as they bravely attempted to mount a comeback. They finished with 62 percent of possession and 572 passes to France’s 364.

But France held off the African nation and hit back in the 79th minute through substitute Randal Kolo Muani, who tapped the ball home at the back post with his first touch of the game.

His maiden international goal came just 44 seconds after he entered the pitch — the second-quickest substitute’s goal ever scored in a World Cup knockout match.

This was Morocco’s sixth FIFA World Cup in which the Atlas Lions made history when they became the first African team to qualify for the semifinals having beaten Cristiano Ronaldo’s heavily-fancied Portugal 1-0.

This is not the first time to beat Portugal as their did it as well in their memorable second appearance in 1986 in which they went on to draw against Poland and England to reach their first-ever knockout stages of the Round of 16 in which fell narrowly short against West Germany.—Report from Fox Sports by Zac Rayson