{"id":23657,"date":"2022-12-15T11:04:17","date_gmt":"2022-12-15T11:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal"},"modified":"2022-12-15T11:35:08","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T11:35:08","slug":"france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal","title":{"rendered":"France vs Morocco match preview: World Cup 2022 semifinal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Mauritius. <\/strong><\/span>France face Morocco in a World Cup 2022 semifinal that pits the defending world champions against this year\u2019s underdog story. France have Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud. Morocco have the hopes and dreams of the entire Arab world, not to mention the support of most neutrals.<\/p>\n

Whatever happens in the game, history will be made at Al Bayt Stadium, the giant Bedouin tent in Al Khor, with Morocco the first Arab or African nation to make it to the semifinals of a World Cup.<\/p>\n

The French are overwhelmingly the favourites in this match, but Morocco have claimed some notable scalps on their way here \u2013 Belgium, Spain and Portugal were all talked about as serious contenders for the title, and all fell to the Atlas Lions.<\/p>\n

Morocco\u2019s coach Walid Regragui on Tuesday made clear that his side were going to try their best to pull off another \u201cupset\u201d in their fairytale run. Walid Cheddira is suspended for the semifinal after being sent off in the win over Portugal, while captain Romain Saiss is a potential injury concern for Morocco in defence.<\/p>\n

Having missed the quarterfinal, it\u2019s not yet clear if Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui will be fighting fit in time for Wednesday\u2019s match. Morocco\u2019s place in the semifinal isn\u2019t down to luck.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s down to sheer hard work, grit, determination and talent. They deserve to be here just as much as anyone else. Morocco have not fluked it \u2013 they should now be considered one of the footballing world\u2019s top sides.<\/p>\n

You do not make it to a World Cup semifinal by chance. And then there\u2019s France. This extraordinary team, missing many of its star players, yet with the depth to produce absolute champagne football.<\/p>\n

They have flair, consistency and muscle. Plus, they\u2019ve been here before. Head coach Didier Deschamps is one of only three men to have won the World Cup both as a player and as a manager.<\/p>\n

France\u2019s play has been hallmarked by speed and attack. Mbappe streaks away from defenders as if the ball were tied to his boot \u2013 like watching Lionel Messi a decade ago.<\/p>\n

Indeed, Mbappe is just one shy of Messi\u2019s World Cup goal tally \u2013 but he\u2019s only 23, and could easily be playing in another two World Cups before he even turns 32.<\/p>\n

Giroud brings the calm experience to the attacking line; a wise head that the veteran can still use to devastating effect. Griezmann remains the all-round playmaker, directing the game with pinpoint precision.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s just thinking about France\u2019s top line. They have no suspensions among their team to worry about. Sitting deep, they\u2019ve got such talent as Theo Hernandez, who is one of Europe\u2019s best left-backs. Morocco will be looking to slow the game down, control and neutralise the pace of Mbappe, and frustrate France into lapses of discipline or skill.<\/p>\n

When in possession, they\u2019ll be hoping to put the ball at the feet of Achraf Hakimi, Mbappe\u2019s teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea\u2019s Hakim Ziyech, to see if the star pairing can make a little more magic for Morocco.<\/p>\n

This will be neither team\u2019s last game in Qatar; the losing team will still have to play arguably the worst match in any competition \u2013 the third-place playoff \u2013 at Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

The winners, however, go on to sport\u2019s biggest event. Watched by quite possibly billions of people, the World Cup final will be held on Sunday, Qatar\u2019s national day, at Lusail Stadium. Glory awaits.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Mauritius<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Mauritius. France face Morocco in a World Cup 2022 semifinal that pits the defending world champions against this year\u2019s underdog story. France have Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud. Morocco have the hopes and dreams of the entire Arab world, not to mention the support of most neutrals. Whatever happens in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":23656,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,17],"tags":[233,245,241,514],"class_list":["post-23657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-mauritius","tag-mauritius","tag-world-cup"],"yoast_head":"\nFrance vs Morocco match preview: World Cup 2022 semifinal - Mauritius<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"France face Morocco in a World Cup 2022 semifinal that pits the defending world champions against this year\u2019s underdog s ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"France vs Morocco match preview: World Cup 2022 semifinal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"France face Morocco in a World Cup 2022 semifinal that pits the defending world champions against this year\u2019s underdog s ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mauritius\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-12-15T11:04:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-15T11:35:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/sites\/61\/2022\/12\/postQueueImg_1671089807.45.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"France vs Morocco match preview: World Cup 2022 semifinal\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-12-15T11:04:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-15T11:35:08+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal\"},\"wordCount\":619,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/sites\/61\/2022\/12\/postQueueImg_1671089807.45.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Africa Press\",\"Africa Press-Mauritius\",\"Mauritius\",\"World Cup\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/france-vs-morocco-match-preview-world-cup-2022-semifinal\",\"name\":\"France vs Morocco match preview: World Cup 2022 semifinal - 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