France beats Morocco to advance to World Cup semi‑finals

Morocco entered the Africa Cup of Nations quarter‑final on Thursday in Cairo with aspirations of advancing to the semi‑finals and avenging a 1‑0 defeat suffered at the hands of the same opponent in the group stage. The Atlas Lions, who topped their group after victories over Guinea and Sudan, faced a side that had won its previous three matches and entered the knockout round unbeaten. The match began at 20:00 local time, with Morocco pressing high and creating several early chances, but the opposition’s disciplined defense limited the opportunities.

The in‑form team broke the deadlock in the 34th minute through a well‑placed header, and doubled the lead shortly after halftime with a counter‑attack finish. Morocco’s attempts to respond were thwarted by a compact midfield and a series of saves by the opposing goalkeeper. The final whistle confirmed a 2‑0 victory for the opponents, eliminating Morocco from the tournament. The Atlas Lions will now turn their attention to upcoming World Cup qualifying fixtures, aiming to rebuild after the quarter‑final exit.