English
Doha: Defending champions France will take on Morocco on Wednesday night at the Al Bayt Stadium for a place in the final at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022. Whoever wins on the night will meet Argentina in the summit clash on December 18.
While France are trying to become the third nation after Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) to win back-to-back FIFA World Cups, Morocco are on a cusp of becoming the first African national to even play in the final of football’s grandest stage.
Drawn alongside Australia, Tunisia and Denmark, France finished on top of Group D tp qualify for the knockouts. Didier Deschamps side defeated Poland in the round of 16 before outclassing England for a place in the last four.
Morocco’s journey so far has been a fairytale. They defeated heavyweights Belgium, Spain and Portugal on the way to their maiden entry in World Cup semifinals. If Youssef En-Nesyri did all the hard work in front of the goal, Yassine Bounou stood like a rock under the bar to achieve greater heights.
In fact, Morocco are the best defensive team in the tournament having conceded just a goal — that too an own goal — in the tournament.
Head-To-Head
This is first time France and Morocco will be playing in a FIFA World Cup match. They met thrice at the Mediterranean Games with France winning once in 1967. Two other games ended in draws in 1975 and 1987.
In the Four Nations Tournament and Hassan II Cup, France have won three and drawn one out of four matches. Both were friendly competitions.
Team News
France: There are no injury concerns in the France camp and Didier Deschamps’ side should be at full-strength against Morocco.
Morocco: The Atlas Lions will be hoping Romain Saiss to be match fit on Wednesday after he was stretchered off with a thigh injury against Portugal in the quarterfinals. Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui are also injury doubts.
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