The game: Long tense
Poland. England. But not Morocco. Didier Deschamps was unable to field his eleven-type for the third time in a row. Sick, Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano had to give way to Youssouf Fofana and Ibrahima Konaté. Rabiot even stayed at the hotel to see his friends, with their 4-3-3 World Cup, dominate the Atlas Lions.
world Cup
Why Mbappé did not have the average? The notes of the Blues debriefed
3 HOURS AGO
The Tricolores began to make their task easier by opening the scoring quickly, through Théo Hernandez (5th). Romain Saïss had to leave his partners in the 20th minute, Noussair Mazraoui at the break, but Morocco hung on somehow.
After rocking, the Moroccans finished the first period strong. And overall dominated by the Blues who found themselves cornered in the heart of a match which would not have suffered from seeing the man in black take a few more boxes out of his pocket. On arrival, they won, anyway. But it was strange and to say the least irritating.
The players: Konaté better than a double, Griezmann crowned number
The Blues suffered against Morocco but were able to count on an omnipresent Antoine Griezmann. The Madrilenian delivered another masterclass on Wednesday. Behind, Ibrahima Konaté held the barracks on his broad shoulders. It was more complicated for the trio Kylian Mbappé – Olivier Giroud – Ousmane Dembélé.
Griezmann everywhere, Konaté boss: the debriefed notes from France-Morocco
The X Factor: El Yamiq’s Evening
A World Cup semi-final can be played out on details. She partly decided on a slide from El Yamiq. On an opening of Varane, the Moroccan defender tried to pass in front of Griezmann. His fall opened the road to number 7 and the path to happiness for the Blues. The second goal? A lost ball from him, he who had been on the verge of equalizing in the first period on a magnificent return.
The tweet that makes everyone agree
The stat: Four in a row
France had paid to learn. Three times, she had cracked before the penultimate step, against Brazil (1958) and the FRG twice (1982, 1986). Since then, it’s been the highway to happiness: the Blues have won their last four World Cup halves. From Croatia in 1998 to Morocco 2022.
The declaration: Didier Deschamps
“There is emotion, pride. Obviously it was still an important march today, there will be a last one. We’ve been together for a month, it’s never easy but here it is , it’s been blissful so far and my players are rewarded, as well as the whole squad.”
The question: Did the Blues play with fire?
In the World Cup, we rarely play at home. We move even less often outside. Wednesday evening, the Blues experienced a rare evening at the Al-Bayt stadium. Because it was a half of the World Cup, all the same. Because she found herself at the heart of an arena won over to the cause of Morocco. And who only wanted to ignite.
The Blues have yet juggled with a lighter and a rag soaked in gasoline. Because after having opened the score very early, as the whole world advised them, they did not know how to close the debates which only required that. And then, little by little, Morocco regained the hair of the beast, until frankly threatening a team of France whose serenity was not obvious.
After the quarter-final against England, Olivier Giroud compared the blue performance to that of Belgium 2018. Wrongly. It’s unlikely that he’ll do it again. Because the Blues did not control much at the heart of a match which could have changed if the Moroccans had shown more spontaneity, freshness, even experience.
This famous experience that we acquire over the course of adventures, especially exceptional ones. The France team had experienced one four years ago. She does it again, four years later. A rare luxury, which is not offered to the first comer. On Sunday, against Lionel Messi’s Argentina, she will aim for eternity, immortality, perpetuity or whatever you want that ends in “é”. We let you choose. We would gladly be satisfied with doubling.
Kylian Mbappé, Randal Kolo Muani and the others celebrate the second goal of the French team against Morocco
Credit: Getty Images
world Cup
France-Argentina, a dream final: “Storytelling level, there is no better”
3 HOURS AGO
world Cup
Griezmann everywhere, Konaté boss: the debriefed notes from France-Morocco
4 HOURS AGO