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Morocco's World Cup 2026 dreams end against France's formidable offense
via Le Matin3 min read
Morocco's Atlas Lions faced a strong French team, a favorite for the 2026 World Cup, and ultimately fell short. Despite coach Mohamed Ouahbi stating he did not instruct his team to play defensively, the players naturally reacted to France's offensive pressure, leading to a low block in the first half. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was a standout, making three crucial saves, including a penalty stop against Kylian Mbapp茅. In the second half, Moroccan supporters hoped for a more offensive approach, and while the team tried to create opportunities for Talbi, Diaz, and El Khannouss, France capitalized on the space. French midfielder Rabiot noted that France felt more comfortable when Morocco had possession. Morocco, playing without Saibari and a strong central attacker, struggled against France's physical and tactical strength. Kylian Mbapp茅 and Ousmane Demb茅l茅 scored two goals within six minutes, securing France's victory. Morocco managed only one shot on target from Azzeddine Ounahi late in the game, compared to France's 9 shots on target from 22 attempts. France also demonstrated superior passing accuracy at 92%. This defeat mirrors Morocco's previous encounter with Didier Deschamps's team in Qatar. Despite the loss, the article highlights Morocco's impressive journey in the tournament, including a draw against Brazil 1-1, a win against Scotland 1-0, a comeback victory against Haiti 4-2, and advancing to the quarterfinals by defeating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout and Cana
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