FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-final Highlights: France 2-0 Morocco

The defending champions will face Argentina in the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Didier Deschamps' men have been a force to reckon at this World Cup and overcame a strong Moroccan side to reach the final. They will look to become the first team since Pele's Brazil (1958 and 1962) to win back-to-back World Cup titles.

The referee has decided to add 6 more minutes to the match. Sadly, the Atlas Lions look to be going out of the tournament after a fairytale run. France has been the better side on the day and fully deserve to play the final against Lionel Messi's Argentina on Sunday.

85' - Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech tries to create a chance for Morocco. He picks up the ball after France fail to clear their lines but gives up possession against Konate. France are now managing the game very well, not leaving any spaces for Morocco to attack.

79' - France make the most of a counter-attack as Randal Kolo Muani scores France's second goal of the night. Kylian Mbappe wriggles through a couple of Moroccan defenders before his shot is deflected in Kolo Muani's path, who taps in for an easy finish. Interestingly, the goal was Kolo Muani's very first touch in the game, since coming on for Dembele.

France 2-0 Morocco

76' - Chance for Hamdallah! Hamdallah wins possession in the final third, carries the ball forward into the French penalty area but doesn't pull the trigger. The French defender scramble the ball away to safety.

67' - Double change made by Morocco coach Walid Regragui bringing Hamdallah and Aboukhlal on for En-Nesyri and Boufal. 

65' - Marcus Thuram replaces Olivier Giroud, following his father Lilian's footstep to appear in a World Cup semi-final. 

63' - Griezmann rises high in the final third to flick the ball onto Ousmane Dembele, but the Barcelona forward is unable to pick out Olivier Giroud in the box and the chance goes to waste. 

56' -  Since Mbappe's injury scare, Morocco have taken over the reigns of the match, dictating play and creating goal-scoring opportunities. Rafael Varane had to stretch to prevent En-Nesyri from converting Boufal's cross. Seconds later, Konate put in a last-ditch challenge in the six-yard box to deny En-Nesyri an easy goal. France barely holding on!

France 1-0 Morocco

51' - France superstar Kylian Mbappe has gone down with an injury! The PSG forward was released and took off on a blistering run before Amrabat brought him down with an inch perfect tackle.

The second half kicks-off at the Al Bayt Stadium with France going in with a slender 1-0 lead over the Moroccans.

Half-time change for Morocco. Bayern Munich full-back Mazraoui, who was a doubt before kick-off, has succumbed to injury. Attiyat Allah, who started against Portugal in the quarter-finals, replaces him.

What a finish to the first-half. Morocco are trailing 1-0 but they would be happy with their response, especially toward the end of that half. 

It's not a big lead for France and Deschamps should be wary of the response from Morocco towards the end of the half. El Yamiq, whose defensive blunder led to the first French goal, nearly made up with a stunning bicycle kick.

France had 10 shots but only one of them were on target. Morocco had two but they were not able to equalise.

This semi-final wonderfully set-up for the next 45 minutes. 

Can Morocco go level into the break? France will be ruing the missed chances. They could have easily been 2-0 or 3-0 up. 

What a block! Hugo Lloris with a fine save again. Morocco won a corner after Achraf Hakimi's blistering run on the right. As he tried to cross it into the box, Konate came with a neat sliding tackle to push the ball out of danger. 

Hakimi took the corner and sent it into the box but the French defenders were up to the task. But the clearance was not good and El Yamiq, the central defender, comes up with a bicycle kick that is on target. Lloris dives left to keep it 1-0.

A great chance for Morocco here. 

A big chance goes down begging. Mbappe with a stunning run on the left after a lovely ball from the midfield. Mbappe takes a shot and beat Bounou but a Moroccan defender held fort and cleared it away. Giroud had a great chance to slot the rebound into goal but he fires it wide. 

A big chance that was. Morocco hold on here. 

France got a corner and Antoine Griezmann took it from the left. However, the cross was cleared away. Fofana got hold of the loose ball but fired it well over the post on the turn. 

Tchouameni takes a shot from well outside the box but it's blocked. A good foray forward from France as Kylian Mbappe led it from the left before cutting back and laying it over to the midfielder. 

France are playing the patience game but are breaking at good speed. This has been a very good first-half so far. 

Hernandez is wincing in pain. Boufal goes into the referee's box for a clumsy challenge on the French goal-scorer inside the French box. It was a clash of shins as Boufal stuck his leg out and brought the left-back down. 

Good news is that Hernandez is okay to carry on. 

What a shame! Roman Saiss, who was picked despite an injury scare on his left hamstring, is being replaced. Saiss gets a rousing reception from the crowd but Regrugai has had to make an early change. 

Selim Amallah takes the center-back position. Saiss is looking distraught as he makes his way out of the field with a strapped left thigh. 

Olivier Giroud rattles the post. A stunning strike from 10 yards outside the box. A left-footed shot that beat Bounou but hits the woodwork. There is some concern for Saiss there. He is not able to keep up with the pace of the France stars in the attacking third. Did Regragui risk playing his half-fit captain? 

France could have been easily 2-0 up there. 

The Moroccan fans are loving this. Boufal with a stunning run on the break. He releases Ziyech down the right. Ziyech storms into the box and takes a shot with his weaker foot. However, the ball goes well wide of the post. 

It remains 1-0 after the first 15 minutes. 

Ounahi has been impressive. Hasn't he? Hugo Lloris called into action there. The Morocco midfielder races down the middle and takes a shot from 5 yards outside the box. He curls it past Raphael Varane, who was tracking back. A superb shot, aimed at the low right corner but Lloris puts in a full-length dive to steer the ball away from danger. 

The Moroccan fans jump in delight as the African side look for an early response here. 

Theo Hernandez, by the way, is the first opposition player to score against Morocco in this World Cup. The wall is finally breached and it has been inside the first 5 minutes in the semi-final. 

A beautiful finish from the France left-back. 

How will Morocco respond now? They are in unfamiliar territory! 

GOAL! France are up and running here. Hernandez slots one in with his left foot. A fine finish as the ball was above his shoulder inside the box as he slotted it in past Bounou. 

It was a spectacular finish after a shot from Kylian Mbappe was blocked and the rebound fell to the left of the post where Hernandez was perfectly positioned. Antoine Griezman continues to impress as it was his cross that Mbappe tried to blast in. 

France go 1-0 up as early as the 5th minute. 

Morocco get the ball rolling at the Al Bayt Stadium. How will they approach this game against France's attacking firepower? Can Morocco stun the world champions int he earlier stages? 

The atmosphere is certainly going to be frightening for Didier Deschamps and his men as the stadium is packed by Moroccan fans. 

It's time for the national anthems at the Al Bayt Stadium. There's passion that's on display as the two teams gear up for a big test. Morocco coach Walid Regragui is charged-up as he is the loudest during the national anthem. 

Who will be able to hold the nerves better today? The Al Bayt Stadium is packed with fans, most of them backing Morocco as the Red and Green shirts dominate the stands. 

 Morocco captain Romain Saiss and centre-back partner Nayef Aguerd have been cleared fit to play. Saiss was carried off the field after he picked up a knock in their quarter-final win over Portugal. 

Aguerd suffered a hamstring injury in the last-16 win over Spain and missed the last match.

On the other hand, France have made two changes after Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano caught colds and missed training on Monday and Tuesday.

Rabiot is replaced in midfield by Youssouf Fofana and defender Ibrahima Konate comes in for Upamecano.

Morocco, who scripted history by becoming the first African team to qualify for the semi-finals, will have to face the challenge of striker Kylian Mbappe, who is the joint top-scorer at the tournament. Walid Regragui's Morocco exceeded all expectations at the World Cup as they defeated second-ranked Belgium in the group stage before eliminating Spain and Portugal enroute to the semi-finals. (Real More)

Morocco and France fans have started to fill up the Al Bayt Stadium ahead of the crucial semi-final clash in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Starting XI: Bounou, Hakimi, El Yamiq, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui, Amrabat, Ziyech, Ounahi, Boufal, En-Nesyri.

Subs: Hamdallah, Zaroury, Sabiri, Mohamedi, Chair, Aboukhlal, Amallah, Ezzalzouli, Dari, Tagnaouti, El Khannous, Benoun, Attiyat Allah, Jabrane.

Starting XI: Lloris, Kounde, Varane, Konate, T. Hernandez, Griezmann, Tchouameni, Fofana, Dembele, Mbappe, Giroud. 

Subs: Pavard, Disasi, Guendouzi, Muani, Veretout, Mandanda, Saliba, Upamecano, Coman, Areola, Camavinga, Thuram.

Didier Deschamps' side will be eyeing to defend their World Cup crown in Qatar. France have faced Morocco five times in the past and have never been beaten (W3 D2). They will be playing their seventh World Cup semi-final, having been unbeaten at this stage since 1998.

Morocco have made history by becoming the first African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is yet to be beaten by an opposition player at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the only goal against them coming via an own goal during their 2-1 win over Canada in the group-stages.They've kept four cleansheets in the tournament, with the last two sides that kept five clean sheets going on to win the tournament (Italy in 2006, Spain in 2010).