It can’t have happened on too many occasions in 21 previous tournaments, but a team reached the World Cup final and weren’t the main story of the night.
France led from the fifth minute against Morocco, Theo Hernandez becoming the first opposition player to score past Yassine Bounou in six matches in Qatar when the left-back despatched an awkward ball on the half volley.
Didier Deschamps’ team deserve every plaudit they receive for winning a fourth World Cup semi-final inside the regulation 90 minutes. France will aim to become the first back-to-back winners since Brazil in 1962 when they face Argentina at Lusail Stadium on Sunday.
It is a brilliant final with all the makings of a classic. The teams last met at Russia 2018 when the French, inspired by a teenage Kylian Mbappe, won a belting contest 4-3. Mbappe, attempting to win his second World Cup, against Paris Saint-Germain colleague Lionel Messi, pursuing his most cherished prize, is one of multiple narratives to whet the appetite over the next few days.
But Morocco exit this World Cup as history makers and following a performance packed with courage and spirit and perseverance. The first team from Africa and the Arab world to play in a World Cup semi-final, they dug into the deepest reserves of endurance and character in an attempt to go one better.
Morocco barely put a foot wrong defensively in this competition. But they paid a heavy price for a minor error when Jawad El Yamiq leapt out of his defensive line to allow Antoine Griezmann a run into the box. Achraf Hakimi flew across to apply a tremendous block when Mbappe tried to steer home the delivery, but Morocco were unable to recover their shape. Mbappe shot again, the ball deflecting kindly for Hernandez – who wouldn’t have been playing but for an injury to brother Lucas in the opening match – to steer home his second international goal.
Olivier Giroud capitalised on a rare piece of misjudgement from Romain Saiss to run through and rattle the post after 17 minutes. Saiss was evidently inhibited by the thigh injury he sustained earlier in the tournament and the talismanic centre-back was soon replaced, joining fellow defender Nayef Aguerd, forced to withdraw from the starting XI prior to kick-off, on the sidelines.
It felt like the roof might fall in on Morocco. But that was to underestimate this resilient, gifted team. Hugo Lloris had already been tested by Azzedine Onuahi’s dipping strike – hit with the instep, a la Cristiano Ronaldo – when Ibrahima Konate, deputising for the under the weather Dayot Upamecano did very well to prevent Youssef En-Nesryi from connecting with Selim Amallah’s cross in front of goal.
El Yamik nearly atoned for his earlier mistake in spectacular fashion when, with his back to goal, the left-sided centre-half carefully tracked Giroud’s clearing header from a corner and met the dropping ball with an overhead kick that need a combination of Lloris’s right glove and the upright to keep it out.
France weren’t without chances to add to their lead. El Yamiq hacked clear when Mbappe scooped the ball towards goal after Aurelien Tchouameni’s low pass in behind. Tchouameni returned the ball into the box for Giroud but he was off target with his shot.
Morocco finished the half applying pressure to their opponents’ goal via a succession of dead-ball deliveries, without cracking strong French resistance.
Konate managed another tremendous interception when En-Nesyri’s eyes widened as a delivery from substitute Yahya Attiat-Allah arrived in the six-yard box. Hakimi couldn’t tame the ball in a promising position in the French box and another substitute in Abderrazak Hamdallah stirred memories of Diego Maradona with a defender-dodging dribble into the penalty area. Hamdallah, who would be denied a consolation deep into stoppage time by Jules Kounde’s goalline clearance, delayed his strike and was eventually crowded out.
There was no hesitation from Randal Kolo Muani, however, no sign of the 24-year-old needing time to warm-up seconds after his introduction, when Mbappe capped an excellent piece of build-up play with a pass rolled to the back post.
Kolo Muani was never going to miss from close range, scoring the second fastest World Cup knockout goal by a substitute. It was a nice piece of history for the Eintracht Frankfurt player. But no match for the story created by Morocco over the past three weeks.
Player of the match
Antoine Griezmann
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