IT took just five minutes for France to breach the much-vaunted Moroccan defence.

Antoine Griezmann, the silky French playmaker, found a way through and ran to the right of the box before finding Kylian Mbappe with the outside of his foot. Four Moroccan players converged on the joint top-scorer of this tournament, diving in to prevent him from getting a shooting opportunity and although the shot was blocked, the ball only looped up to the far post where Theo Hernandez, volleyed it in with his left foot; both his feet in the air when it made contact.

Four years on from their World Cup triumph in Russia, France were on their way to the final here in Qatar.

But Morocco, the first side from Africa to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup, weren’t going to go down without a fight; their coach Walid Regragui constantly cajoling his players to get back at their former colonisers.

It made for a breathless, absorbing semi-final; France soaking everything Morocco threw at them before hitting them with a sucker punch 11 minutes from time when Mbappe showed quick feet inside the box after being found by substitute Marcus Thuram. His shot was deflected but only into the path of another substitute Randal Kolo Muani on the far post and the 24-year-old made no mistake.

With the 2-0 win, France advanced to a classic final against Argentina; a game Qatar would’ve loved to have at the outset of the tournament as it will feature both Mbappe and Lionel Messi on opposite sides — two players from Paris St Germain, Qatar’s sporting face in Europe.

Win the final and France will become just the first side since Brazil in 1962 and just the third in the history of the tournament to have successfully defended the World Cup.

Morocco saw their fairytale run come to an end but they can go with their heads held high. They made France scrap for everything and as France celebrated at the final whistle; their players sank to the ground; Achraf Hakimi being pulled up by his PSG teammate Mbappe.

Morocco hadn’t conceded a goal to an opposition player during their run to the last four at the World Cup — not even in a shootout; the only goal against them was from their own player. They also never had to chase the game, having never fallen behind. Here at the Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday night, their resilience and belief was being put to the test by the reigning champions.

But for the swathes of Moroccan fans who had turned up to paint the venue red, Hernandez’s goal didn’t really puncture their enthusiasm or optimism. Instead, it only served to raise the decibel levels; the crowd rousing their players to mount a comeback. They almost got the leveller, saved by the tall frame of Hugo Lloris, who dived to his left and got a hand to Azzedine Ounahi’s fizzing shot.

But the goal meant Morocco were the ones getting more of the ball. They showed intent but it was France, once again showing their breathtaking counterattacking ability, who could’ve killed the game off before half-time.

First Olivier Giroud hit the post and then shot wide only moments after the ball was pinged into the Moroccan box after Jawad Al Yamiq had made a last-ditch intervention to block an effort by Mbappe. It was Morocco, though, who finished the half strongly; a stunning bicycle kick from Al Yamiq following a corner was tipped onto the post by Lloris.

They started the second half from where they had left off in the first; France hanging on against incessant pressure being thrown at them as Hakim Ziyech and Hakimi tormented them down the right. But Morocco couldn’t find a way and Kolo Muani, who had been on the pitch for a matter of seconds, ended any hopes of a comeback.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2022