France 2-0 Morocco: Goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani ensure the reigning champions face Argentina in Sunday's final
If the extremes of French emotion were any indication of how close this extraordinary semifinal was, it was that their celebrations had to come at the expense of one public feast. They may still damage the others. Qatar will celebrate, as they have their blue-chip event, with their two Paris Saint-Germain stars meeting.
Through it, France became the seventh team to reach successive World Cup finals and possibly the third to defend the trophy, but only after a 2-0 win over Morocco forced Didier Deschamps' side to reach for their last reserves of energy.
Walid Reragui's team pushed them to their limits. That may still have some bearing in Sunday's grand final against Argentina's Lionel Messi, especially as France looked unconvincing again. That has been a characteristic of their campaign, just as it was in 2018. Perhaps they are the new Germany in that regard, to how they have reached three finals in the last four major competitions, and to how they continue to beat the world. Dear.
For the French side, they are eager to share their appreciation and respect for Morocco. There were tears in the stands but pride on the pitch, and how could there not be after a display like that? It was Morocco's first defeat at the World Cup, but perhaps their best ever performance - and by quite a length.
They stepped outside the defense, and showed what they can really do. There's a problem, especially when you have a clinical attack like this French team and Kylian Mbappe.
Morocco went from a team that didn't want to concede a goal to one that somehow couldn't score, despite coming close to having the ball on Hugo Lloris' line at several points.
It was incredible. That means it's not one of those semi-final defeats that the team suffered from, but one where they can celebrate for giving everything. The scene at the end, as they go out to their fans, is the best of this controversial World Cup
This is one of the best games of the World Cup - and all because Morocco finally conceded.
It seemed they had pushed themselves past the limit. With Reragui mentioning all his injury doubts in the starting XI, Nayef Aguerd had to step down. The defense then became a rabble in the opening minutes as the French edged past them with their first precise attack. It looked like they couldn't give enough anymore, as Rafael Varane found Antoine Griezmann in the kind of space in the box that Morocco had not offered in their previous outings. Mbappe's shot led to several desperate blocks, before Theo Hernandez just put the ball in the net.
It was all from scenes of unseen chaos in the Moroccan defense that reigned throughout this World Cup, and it looks to be getting worse. Moments later, Olivier Giroud - of all people - easily surpassed Romain Saiss to fire a shot against the post. Great as a lumbering striker, you could argue there's no more obvious sign of a physical problem for a defender, in this case taking the indignity of injury.
Reragui had no choice but to introduce Selim Amallah.
It seemed they could be on the brink of collapse. However, instead of pulling together in a final panic, Morocco is united. They unite. They produced what was probably their most electrifying World Cup appearance, even after all that.
France is shaken. They had a scare when Hernandez appeared to trip Sofiane Boufal in the box, but the referee mysteriously booked the Moroccan winger.
The Reragui team doesn't need a sense of injustice to motivate them, but it does add encouragement. They soon came to France in full force. They are changed. That was personified by Jawad El-Yamiq, who went from a mistake to score to a brilliant block on Griezmann and then a sensational bicycle kick that led to a full save from Lloris.
France is being stretched. The ball crossed the box at close range, Yahia Attiyat Allah lit up with one chance.
The bloody, fraught nature of this semifinal is perfectly illustrated by one electrifying moment of the second half. Mbappe finally broke through with a run down the left, the way he defended emphasizing how he keeps the pace, before Amarabat counterattacked to fly the ball - and possibly some of the striker's legs - in a challenge that left nothing out.
It was like that with the whole view.
When France finally found relief from so much Moroccan pressure, Mbappe unleashed a seemingly unstoppable effort only for Selim Amallah to risk his body.
Again it is symbolic of the whole look.
France has no control. Abderazak Hamdallah almost had the ball with one fast run. He couldn't get a shot.
Deschamps has to change something. Randal Kolo Muani came on to replace Ousmane Dembele.
It doesn't just change the game. It kills him. It didn't all depend on the substitute's opportunistic finishing. It was largely down to Mbappe's feet and finesse, once again providing a moment of clarity amidst so much chaos. This article was written by EDUKASI CAMPUS.