WIZ001 Posted 3 hours ago #1 Posted 3 hours ago It's over. Mbappé had a goal and an assist after missing a first-half penalty, and Dembélé added the second as France beat Morocco 2-0 at Boston Stadium to end Morocco's tournament in the quarterfinals — one round short of matching their historic 2022 run. The stats were brutal reading for Morocco fans: France's dominant attacking display saw them post 3.04 xG to Morocco's 0.14. Morocco's first-half xG alone was a stunning 0.04, and they never once forced Mike Maignan into a save.Even so, Morocco didn't give up the fight, creating several late chances but couldn't find the net. There were bright spots amid the exit. 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi became the second-youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup quarterfinal, behind only Pelé in 1958, and the first African player to make five World Cup appearances as a teenager.Bono was outstanding in goal even as the game slipped away. The bigger picture matters here too. Morocco's rise isn't accidental — the country has invested heavily in the national team, building a training academy 15 years ago that experts say rivals France's own facility, using football deliberately as soft power. Young talents like Bouaddi, born in France to Moroccan parents, have chosen Morocco over the country that courted them.
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