France World Cup semi-final qualification is a testament to continuity, as France national football team picked up a 2-0 victory over Morocco national football team to go through for the final four in the World Cup.
Head coach Didier Deschamps’ message after the game was one of resilience and composure, after a show of attacking tenacity and defensive discipline. France had a chance to push the ball through, but they were denied by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou who added a penalty save in the opening 45 minutes, and by a number of other players.
It took Kylian Mbappe to get the break, who broke the deadlock in the second half after some earlier misses. Ousmane Dembele also came on to seal the game six minutes later with a decisive strike, putting France in the third straight World Cup semi-final.
Deschamps admitted that things were not as efficient in the box but said that he has confidence in the mentality of his team, especially Mbappe, who is “very cool in the box”. Their ability to take a setback, such as the missed penalty, and keep their heads above water, demonstrates their maturity in knockout situations.
Whereas in the semi-final, it is Spain national football team or Belgium national football team that France must face, recovery and tactical adjustment are seen as priorities. Deschamps also highlighted the positive culture within the team, suggesting they had an inbuilt focus on the game and weren’t affected by pressure from outside the camp.
France continue to display a balanced profile from an attacking perspective, with possession and attacking transitions being strong, but with a lack of resilience to turn an unsettled knockout match into a goal.
