FIFA World Cup Semi Finals : France vs Morocco

 Defending Champions overcame an exceptionally fighting & spirited Moroccan side 2-0 to enter their fourth World Cup final to set up a mouth watering contest with Argentina. 

The game started in whirlwind fashion, as France got themselves an early & vital lead within 5 minutes. Varane got the ball to Griezmann who cut through the right to offload onto an overlapping Mbappe, who in turn hit hard only to be thwarted twice on rebound, when the ball fell favourably on the feet of Hernandez, & he held composure to slot the ball home with a fine finish, 1-0. Stung by the reverse, Morocco responded with intent & zeal, as Ounahi almost drew level with a stinging shot, but Lloris under the bar was agile enough to push the ball away from entering the net. Later again, in a strange refereeing decision, a rather clear penalty was denied, when Hernandez tipped Boufal inside the box,  & it was the Moroccan who received a yellow card booking !! The game was lively, as both sides unleashed their best attacking football & the ball galloped from one end to the other. El YAmiq almost equalised just before the half time, as he latched on to a loose ball from a corner & his overhead kick hit the post before rolling out as the Les Blues heaved a sigh of relief. Another couple of skirmishes in the French box & evasive actions by the defenders & the keeper saw France maintaining the lead at the lemon break. Moroccans were in the game, despite having huge injury issues to lose skipper Roma Saiss within 222odd minutes into the game, & the dependable Aguerd just before the beginning of the game. 

2nd half was no different, as the Moroccans looked for some chink in the French armory, while the men in blue continued to press forward, as Greizmann orchestrated the midfield. Around the 78th minute, substitute Randal Kolo Muani scored with his first touch, when he received a rebound from the efforts of Mbappe & pushed the ball past a hapless Bonou under the bar to make it 2-0 & put the game beyond the reach of the Africans. 

It was a game of too many ifs for the Moroccans in their first entry into the last four, & they will surely take away a lot of positives from this tournament. Walid Regragui tried valiantly to string an injury riddled side to put up a fantastic performance, & the baffling decision against them in a penalty claim in the first half will certainly have critics speaking a lot, as a equaliser at that stage would have set the cat amongst the pigeons - arguably at least !! A couple of near misses contributed to their undoing, as was the case of France benefitting in both their goals from huge deflections landing the ball perfectly in the path of an unmarked blue jersey to score - Champions Luck is it ??? 

We now are looking forward to a mouth watering humdinger between holders France & challenging Argentina. While France will aspire to become the first team after Brazil in the history of this World Cup to lift the Trophy consecutively, Argentina would look at a last hurrah from a certain Leo Messi, whose cabinet of overflowing trophies is missing the elusive World Cup - Les Blues vs Albiceleste. Dreams are made of such encounters