DOHA, Qatar — France beat Morocco 2-0 on Wednesday to set up a World Cup final showdown against Argentina and Lionel Messi.
Theo Hernandez put the defending champions ahead in the fifth minute after Morocco failed to clear their lines and substitute Randal Kolo Muani doubled their lead in the 79th minute.
Morocco, the first African and Arab team ever to reach the last four at a World Cup, fought on despite losing key players to injury only to see substitute Kolo Muani seal victory for Les Bleus with a late second.
It will be France’s fourth World Cup final in seven editions and they are hoping to become the first team since Brazil 60 years ago to retain the trophy when they take on Argentina at Lusail Stadium on Sunday.
That will be billed as a showdown between Messi and his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe, but this match was not about the latter’s individual brilliance.
Instead France’s victory was down to a team effort against a Moroccan side who will now face Croatia in Saturday’s third-place play-off.
Morocco had reached the semi-finals after beating Belgium in the group stage and then knocking out Spain and Portugal.
But whether they could repeat the feat against the holders was another matter, and coach Walid Regragui’s plans were left in turmoil by a slew of injuries.
Having missed the quarter-final, centre-back Nayef Aguerd was recalled only to withdraw at the last minute, with Achraf Dari stepping in. Then fellow defender and captain Romain Saiss had to abandon his teammates after just 21 minutes, and by then Morocco were behind.
Earlier, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met with French President Emmanuel Macron at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Macron is visiting the country to attend part of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 matches.
Macron congratulated HH the Amir on the good organization of the tournament, wishing success to the teams qualified for the finals.
The meeting also touched on the strategic bilateral relations that link the two countries and ways of enhancing and promoting them, in addition to regional and international issues and developments of common concern.