France 2-0 Morocco: Hernandez and Kolo Muani send the champions to the Argentinian final
France staged a World Cup final against Argentina after goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani secured a 2-0 win over Morocco on Wednesday.
Didier Deschamps' side became the first defending champions since Brazil in 1998 to return to the final in the next edition with another effective performance at Al Bayt Stadium.
Hernandez struck as France took a fifth-minute lead against Africa's first World Cup semi-finalists, although Morocco had largely taken the upper hand.
That pressure brought no reward, and substitute Kolo Muani's second in the 79th minute saw France become the third team to retain their world crown until Sunday's final against Argentina.
Hernandez gave France an early lead after Kylian Mbappe twice saw efforts blocked, the second deflected falling on the left-back to finish expertly at the far post.
Olivier Giroud smashed a left-footed shot past Yassine Bounou's right post before missing a glorious chance after Jawad El Yamiq denied Mbappe with a last-ditch clearance.
El Yamiq nearly equalized with a sensational header from Hakim Ziyech's corner on the stroke of half-time, only to be denied by a stretching Hugo Lloris and his right post.
Raphael Varane made a vital intervention to thwart Youssef En-Nesyri after the break as Deschamps' men were pushed back, before France sealed victory 11 minutes from time.
A deflected shot from Mbappe rolled past Kolo Muani, just off the bench, to hit at the far post as Morocco's fairytale run came to an end.
What does this mean? The Blues on the verge of a rare feat
France narrowly edged England in a thrilling quarter-final and were again ruthless against Morocco, recording their fourth successive World Cup semi-final victory (also in 1998, 2006 and 2018).
Walid Regraguis' Morocco had beaten Belgium, Spain and Portugal en route to the last four after resolute defensive performances, but France proved too big an obstacle.
The final test for Les Bleus awaits in the form of Lionel Messi and Argentina as they aim to join Italy (1938) and Brazil (1962) as the only sides to successfully retain their crown.
Hernandez Heroic
Hernandez's first goal, timed at four minutes and 39 seconds, was the fastest World Cup semi-final goal since 1958, when Vava scored for Brazil against France.
>The Milan defender, scrutinized after the game against England and still largely without help from Mbappe, was also tasked with dealing with the energetic Ziyech and impressed winning seven of his eight duels and taking possession of each of his four tackles.
Wounds haunt rebellious Morocco
Nayef Aguerd, Roman Saiss and Noussair Mazraoui were all injury doubts ahead of this clash. All were initially named in the XI, but Aguerd didn't show up, Saiss retired before half-time and Mazraoui was substituted at the break.
A gamble on Regragui's fitness didn't pay off, with Mazraoui winning just one of his six duels before his half-time withdrawal and Saiss' injury almost costing Morocco dearly as Giroud escaped to hit the post in the first half.
Key facts about Opta
– France have reached the World Cup final for the fourth time, all since 1998 (1998, 2006, 2018, 2022). That's twice as many as any other nation in that span.– Deschamps is only the fourth manager to lead a nation to back-to-back World Cup finals, after Vittorio Pozzo with Italy (1934 , 1938), Carlos Bilardo with Argentina (1986, 1990) and Franz Beckenbauer with Germany (1986, 1990).– African nations have now lost 10 of their 13 World Cup knockout matches against opponents European (W2 D1); Morocco this year had been responsible for two of the three exceptions (0-0 v Spain in the round of 16, 1-0 v Portugal in the quarter-finals).– France won all seven of their Cup knockout matches since the start of the 2018 tournament. In the history of the World Cup, only Brazil from 1958 to 1970 (nine) had a longer winning streak in knockout matches in the finals (at the exclusion from the first group, the second group and the final group, but including the group play-offs).
What's next?
France will face Argentina at the Lusail Stadium in four days, while Morocco take on Croatia in a third-place play-off on Saturday at the Khalifa International Stadium.
France staged a World Cup final against Argentina after goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani secured a 2-0 win over Morocco on Wednesday.
Didier Deschamps' side became the first defending champions since Brazil in 1998 to return to the final in the next edition with another effective performance at Al Bayt Stadium.
Hernandez struck as France took a fifth-minute lead against Africa's first World Cup semi-finalists, although Morocco had largely taken the upper hand.
That pressure brought no reward, and substitute Kolo Muani's second in the 79th minute saw France become the third team to retain their world crown until Sunday's final against Argentina.
Hernandez gave France an early lead after Kylian Mbappe twice saw efforts blocked, the second deflected falling on the left-back to finish expertly at the far post.
Olivier Giroud smashed a left-footed shot past Yassine Bounou's right post before missing a glorious chance after Jawad El Yamiq denied Mbappe with a last-ditch clearance.
El Yamiq nearly equalized with a sensational header from Hakim Ziyech's corner on the stroke of half-time, only to be denied by a stretching Hugo Lloris and his right post.
Raphael Varane made a vital intervention to thwart Youssef En-Nesyri after the break as Deschamps' men were pushed back, before France sealed victory 11 minutes from time.
A deflected shot from Mbappe rolled past Kolo Muani, just off the bench, to hit at the far post as Morocco's fairytale run came to an end.
What does this mean? The Blues on the verge of a rare feat
France narrowly edged England in a thrilling quarter-final and were again ruthless against Morocco, recording their fourth successive World Cup semi-final victory (also in 1998, 2006 and 2018).
Walid Regraguis' Morocco had beaten Belgium, Spain and Portugal en route to the last four after resolute defensive performances, but France proved too big an obstacle.
The final test for Les Bleus awaits in the form of Lionel Messi and Argentina as they aim to join Italy (1938) and Brazil (1962) as the only sides to successfully retain their crown.
Hernandez Heroic
Hernandez's first goal, timed at four minutes and 39 seconds, was the fastest World Cup semi-final goal since 1958, when Vava scored for Brazil against France.
>The Milan defender, scrutinized after the game against England and still largely without help from Mbappe, was also tasked with dealing with the energetic Ziyech and impressed winning seven of his eight duels and taking possession of each of his four tackles.
Wounds haunt rebellious Morocco
Nayef Aguerd, Roman Saiss and Noussair Mazraoui were all injury doubts ahead of this clash. All were initially named in the XI, but Aguerd didn't show up, Saiss retired before half-time and Mazraoui was substituted at the break.
A gamble on Regragui's fitness didn't pay off, with Mazraoui winning just one of his six duels before his half-time withdrawal and Saiss' injury almost costing Morocco dearly as Giroud escaped to hit the post in the first half.
Key facts about Opta
– France have reached the World Cup final for the fourth time, all since 1998 (1998, 2006, 2018, 2022). That's twice as many as any other nation in that span.– Deschamps is only the fourth manager to lead a nation to back-to-back World Cup finals, after Vittorio Pozzo with Italy (1934 , 1938), Carlos Bilardo with Argentina (1986, 1990) and Franz Beckenbauer with Germany (1986, 1990).– African nations have now lost 10 of their 13 World Cup knockout matches against opponents European (W2 D1); Morocco this year had been responsible for two of the three exceptions (0-0 v Spain in the round of 16, 1-0 v Portugal in the quarter-finals).– France won all seven of their Cup knockout matches since the start of the 2018 tournament. In the history of the World Cup, only Brazil from 1958 to 1970 (nine) had a longer winning streak in knockout matches in the finals (at the exclusion from the first group, the second group and the final group, but including the group play-offs).
What's next?
France will face Argentina at the Lusail Stadium in four days, while Morocco take on Croatia in a third-place play-off on Saturday at the Khalifa International Stadium.
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