Here’s David Hytner’s report from the Al-Bayt Stadium. Goodnight!
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“Before the match, had you told me that France would take the lead in the first five minutes, I would have despaired at how watchable the game would be,” says Eric Peterson. “How wrong I was. Morocco didn’t just keep France honest, they asked questions aplenty.
“Here’s hoping the step from disappointment at the loss to appreciation of what they’ve accomplished happens as soon as possible for the Atlas Lions. They deserve it. As for France v Argentina, well, that should be somewhat watchable, huh?”
“Griezmann has been the player of the tournament, I agree,” says Kári Tulinius. “What’s most remarkable about that is that he’s playing a role he’s never performed before, in a position he’s never played in. He may have ensured his place on a very short list of all-time greats.”
It’s really interesting, because he’s playing as a No8 while retaining elements of a No10. And his defensive awareness is extraordinary.
“Griezmann MoTM?” says Brad Wilson. “I say yes.”
Yep. I’d argue he’s the player of the tournament, in that he has influenced the nuts and bolts of games a lot more than Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Then again, those two have a helluva highlights package. Apples and oranges I guess.
Argentina v France, then. Messi v Mbappe. Ten others v ten others.
The two teams met in the second round of the last World Cup, when France came from behind to win a seven-goal thriller.
Walid Regragui is embraced by Olivier Giroud, his old Grenoble teammate, and then Didier Deschamps. There are some tears, but not devastation – the Morocco players, in the parlance of our time, left everything out there, and their primary emotion should be pride. They have joined the list of World Cup immortals.
Full time: France 2-0 Morocco
France will play Argentina in the World Cup final after a hard-fought victory over Morocco. Theo Hernandez’s early goal changed the pattern of the game, with Morocco dominating possession for the first time in the tournament. Both teams hit the post, both missed excellent chances, and there were plenty of nervous moments for France before the substitute Randal Kolo Muani scored with his first touch in the 79th minute.
France did enough, as they have throughout the tournament really. They are one game away from making history; Morocco have already done that.
90+4 min: How did that stay out?! After a great run from Ezzalzouli on the left, Ounahi’s volley was half blocked by Hernandez. It ricocheted to Hamdallah, whose instinctive close-range shot was blocked on the line by Kounde.
90+3 min The tireless Ounahi’s shot deflects over the bar. Ziyech takes the corner short to Amrabat, whose cross is headed away.
90+2 min Mbappe nutmegs Amrabat and then surges away from Dari on the edge of the area, but Hakimi tracks him and makes a fine challenge.
90+1 min There will be six minutes of added time.
90 min Aboukhlal’s shot on the turn is saved by Lloris, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was offside.
86 min Ziyech tries to twist inside Thuram, who stands up and wins a goalkick.
84 min Marcus Thuram played a part in that goal, too, drawing defenders towards him before giving the ball to Mbappe. He’s been outstanding, and not just with the ball – Morocco have had very little joy down their right since he came on.
81 min In years to come, folk will look at the scoreline and think it was a game too far for Morocco, that France won easily, like the favourites always do against the underdog in a World Cup semi-final. That hasn’t been the case at all.
The Morocco fairytale is over, but Randal Kolo Muani has a little fairytale of his own. It was made by Mbappe, who zig-zagged thrillingly between two players on the edge of the penalty box. His shot hit Ezzalzouli, who has also just come on, and ricocheted across the area to give Kolo Muani an open goal.
GOAL! France 2-0 Morocco (Kolo Muani 79)
Randal Kolo Muani scores with his first touch!
79 min: France substitution Randal Kolo Muani comes for Ousmane Dembele, who had a quiet game.
78 min: Morocco substitution Abde Ezzalzouli replaces Selim Amallah, who came on as a substitute in the first half.
76 min: Chance for Morocco! Tchouameni loses the ball in a dangerous area, and it’s collected by Hamdallah. He surges into the area, wriggles past two defenders – but then tries to come back inside onto his right foot and is tackled! Why didn’t he shoot with his left? He was only eight yards from goal.
75 min Griezmann wins another loose ball on the edge of the France area and is fouled. He has the defensive anticipation of somebody who has spent the last 10 years watching videos of Claude Makelele.
74 min Fofana finds Thuram on the left. He gives the ball back to Fofana, who splashes wide from a tight angle. Thuram has been really good.
74 min France are looking more comfortable now. We know 1-0 is a dangerous lead, almost as dangerous as 2-0, but it doesn’t feel as fraught as it did 10 or 15 minutes ago.
72 min Griezmann nicks another ball in midfield and then draws a foul to buy France some time. He’s been so good with and without the ball, tonight and throughout the tournament.
71 min: Chance for France! Griezmann’s teasing free-kick is headed just wide by Thuram at the far post. That was a really good chance, though he was under a bit of pressure from a defender.
70 min Dari is lucky to avoid a yellwo card for shoving over Thuram, who has looked really lively since coming on.
69 min Griezmann’s free-kick flashes across the face of goal. France reclaim possession and Mbappe has a fierce shot blocked, though the flag went up subsequently for offside.
68 min Hakimi commits a needless foul on Thuram near the corner flag…
67 min Attiat-Allah’s lofted cross just evades the leaping Aboukhlal at the near post before being claimed by Lloris. I think it would have been offside anyway.
66 min: Double substitution for Morocco Zakaria Aboukhlal and Abderrazak Hamdallah replaces Boufal and En-Nesyri.
65 min: France substitution Marcus Thuram, whose dad Lilian scored twice in the 1998 semi-final, replaces Olivier Giroud. Mbappe is now playing up front.
63 min Boufal does superbly to get to the byline on the right, but his cutback is cleared by… Griezmann again. He’s having some tournament.
61 min France have barely crossed the halfway line in the second half. They’re either asking for trouble or managing the game cleverly, and I’ll tell you which one in about half an hour’s time.
60 min Griezmann’s long-range shot deflects wide, though everybody knew Mbappe was offside earlier in the move.
59 min Mbappe is limping slightly after a couple of heavy challenges, and Marcus Thuram is warming up.
56 min After more intricate build-up play on the right, Ounahi’s cross almost falls for Hakimi in front of goal. It would have done but for good anticipation by Griezmann on the six-yard line.
Hernandez is being overwhelmed on that side of the field.
55 min Morocco are looking really dangerous, particularly down their right.
54 min: Chances plural for Morocco! Boufal’s dangerous cross from the right just evades En-Nesyri at the near post and comes to Attiatt-Allah, who can’t control his shot as the ball kicks up a little awkwardly. Moments later Attiat-Allah finds a bit of space on the left side of the area and tries to pick out En-Nesyri in front of an open goal. Konate, again, does extremely well to get in front and clear.
52 min Mbappe is back on his feet after receiving treatment. I think it was a fair challenge from Amrabat; it was certainly a strong one.
51 min Ziyech plays a beautiful one-two-three with Hakimi, whose cross is well blocked at the near post by Konate. France break through Mbappe, who is sent flying by an emphatic man-and-ball challenge from Amrabat just outside the area. The referee waves play on.
50 min Ziyech’s cross is cleared at the near post by Konate. He’s quietly had a good game.
48 min Griezmann, arguably the player of the tournament, uses Giroud by not using him and slides a lovely ball towards Mbappe on the edge of the area. Hakimi tracks him well and Bono jumps from his line to claim.
47 min Mbappe roasts Hakimi and Amrabat on the left, gets to the byline but then overhits his cross.
47 min “I really can’t understand why more isn’t being made of that decision to penalise Boufal when Hernandez took him out,” says Sam Campbell. “We are constantly told getting the ball is irrelevant these days and Hernandez goes through him on the follow through. In my opinion that’s a far worse decision than any that England didn’t get at the weekend.”
I don’t think getting the ball is irrelevant; it depends on the context. In this case I think the fact he won the ball and pushed it away from Boufal made it just about a fair tackle. That said, Rio Ferdinand thought it should have been a penalty for Morocco.
Sofiane Boufal got booked for this inside the France box 👀#BBCWorldCup #FifaWorldCup
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 14, 2022
46 min Peep peep!
Morocco substitution Yet another injury for Morocco. Yahya Attiat-Allah has replaced Noussair Mazraoui.
“The football’s kind of interesting,” writes Douglas. “Absolutely no one, whatsoever, is interested in any way, whatsoever, with emails you’ve received criticising your content.”
“I think Morocco have looked very lively since they conceded,” says Alexandra Ashton. “Wouldn’t be too surprised if they nick one in the second half, and after that, who knows… An African side in the World Cup final would be something to behold, and I will never count this Morocco side out. They’re stellar.”
“Someone on the planet,” says David Neilson, “should mention that Mbappe was surrounded by seven Morocco players when he hit that shot that led to the Hernandez goal.”
What a goal that would have been 🤯
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 14, 2022
Hugo Lloris gets a hand to Jawad El Yamiq's overhead kick which hits the post 😲#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/1jUjDsB1SE
“If you posted the players’ names from each team in a different font (or just italics vs caps) it would be much easier to follow for the probable majority who do not know the names of all the players,” says Michael Daley. “PS I agree about updating lineups with substitutions...”
Half-time reading
Half time: France 1-0 Morocco
Peep peep! France lead through Theo Hernandez’s early goal, but Morocco played an equal part in a thrilling and surprisingly open first half. Both teams have hit the post, and Hugo Lloris has probably been the busier keeper. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
45 min Three minutes of added time.
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