In Boston, the promise of a historic revenge by the Atlas Lions ran up against the pragmatism and overwhelming talent of the Les Bleus.
France won 2-0, maintained their dominance, and advanced to the semi-finals, confirming themselves as the team to beat in this World Cup.
The personal duel: Mbappe vs Bono
If in 2022 France's qualification came with goals from supporting players (Theo Hernandez and Kolo Muani), with Kylian Mbappe kept off the scoresheet thanks to relentless marking, the 2026 rematch saw the number 10 take center stage in a two-act drama against goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Act one: Moroccan wall
In the first half, Bono seemed determined to relive his best days as a national hero. Confident and with sharp reflexes, the Moroccan keeper kept the score level with some tough saves and reached his peak by stopping a penalty from Mbappe, firing up the crowd in Boston and giving the impression that it would be an African afternoon.
Act two: brilliance of the number 10
But stars only need a split second to change the story. In the second half, Mbappe won both the mental and physical battle with the Moroccan defense. In a trademark solo move, the French ace found space and curled a beautiful shot into the left corner, leaving Bono with no chance. The path to victory was open.
With this goal, Mbappe reached an impressive tally of eight goals in the tournament, once again tying Lionel Messi at the top of the World Cup scoring charts. The Frenchman, however, has the edge: he has three assists (11 direct goal involvements, compared to nine for the Argentine star).
Differences between 2022 and 2026
Although the 2-0 scoreline was identical to four years ago, the way both teams played made for a very different contest.
In 2022: Morocco shocked the world by having more possession (61%) and pressing France in search of an equaliser, forcing the Europeans to retreat and suffer until the final whistle.
In 2026: France left nothing to chance. Didier Deschamps' men suffocated Morocco's build-up and dictated the tempo of the game with aggression.
The dominance in numbers: By the 88th minute, France had posted a staggering offensive stat: over six minutes of possession in the final third and an impressive 60 entries into the Moroccan penalty area.
It was this suffocating pressure that paved the way for the second goal. After the French onslaught, Ousmane Dembélé found the net, ending any hope of a comeback for the Atlas Lions and sealing the result in Boston.
The road to a third straight title
Morocco's exit, though painful, closes another historic and praiseworthy campaign for Africa's greatest football dynasty.
On the blue side, the result only reinforces the favoritism of a generation that refuses to give up the throne.
With another semi-final secured, France now awaits the winner of the European clash between Spain and Belgium to see who will try to stop the reigning champions from reaching yet another World Cup final.
