Nick Wright
Comment and Analysis @nicholaspwright
Thursday December 15, 2022
Randal Kolo Muani celebrates with team-mates after doubling France's lead
France set up a World Cup final showdown against Argentina
as Randal Kolo Muani's goal 44 seconds after coming off the bench helped secure
a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the last four.
Reigning champions France, seeking to become the first side
to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1962, took the lead after only
five minutes when Theo Hernandez finished acrobatically from close range, but
they were made to work for their win.
Morocco, the first African side in history to contest a
World Cup semi-final following historic wins over Spain and Portugal, were
roared on by another partisan crowd at Al Bayt Stadium and subjected France to
heavy pressure, with Jawad El Yamiq striking the post as they fought valiantly
despite injuries to key players.
France, though, showed their tournament pedigree, defending
resolutely then seizing their chance to kill the game when Kolo Muani slid home
Kylian Mbappe's deflected effort at the far post in the 79th minute, his first
international goal leaving the Moroccans heartbroken.
France now face Argentina, who beat Croatia 3-0 in the other
semi-final, in Sunday's final as they seek to defend their crown in a contest
which pits Mbappe against Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Lionel Messi, while
Morocco have to settle for a third-place play-off to conclude their outstanding
tournament.
How France fought to
victory
Morocco boss Walid Regragui had opted to switch to a back
five to contain France's considerable attacking threat but his plans were
immediately disrupted when centre-back Nayef Aguerd, listed as a starter having
missed the win over Portugal through injury, was forced to withdraw before
kick-off.
France immediately capitalised on the upheaval, their early
goal created by the excellent Antoine Griezmann as an El Yamik error allowed
him to cut the ball back for Mbappe, whose shot was blocked before falling to
Hernandez to convert.
Hernandez's well-taken strike made him the first opposition
player to score past Morocco, who had kept four clean sheets in the previous
five games at the tournament, and the Atlas Lions sought an immediate response
at the other end.
Azzedine Ounahi drew a fine save from Hugo Lloris with a
long-range effort and Hakim Ziyech dragged another shot wide, but France then
went close themselves when Olivier Giroud fired against the post from Ibrahima
Konate's long pass.
Morocco were dealt another blow in the aftermath of that
Giroud opportunity when Romain Saiss, Aguerd's usual centre-back partner and
another injury doubt before the game, had to be taken off.
Still, though, Morocco continued to cause France problems,
particularly down the right flank, where Hernandez was often left exposed by
Mbappe's advanced positioning, leaving him struggling to deal with the twin
threat of Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi.
Morocco had a penalty appeal waved away, with Sofiane Boufal
deemed to have fouled Hernandez rather than the other way around, but France
continued to threaten at the other end, with the early goal forcing Morocco to
take more risks.
Aurelien Tchouameni, scorer of France's opener against
England, created two opportunities in quick succession for Mbappe and Giroud,
but it was Morocco who went closest before the break, El Yamiq's overhead kick
coming back off the post following a corner.
Regragui's side finished the first half strongly and picked
up where they left off in the second, pinning France back and, for the first
time in the tournament, dominating possession, but their opponents proved
difficult to break down.
Konate was particularly impressive having started in place
of Dayot Upamecano, who was ruled out due to illness along with Adrien Rabiot,
and France were also helped at times by Morocco's lack of ruthlessness in the
box.
At one point, substitute Abderrazak Hamdallah looked primed
to score but took too long to get his shot off, with France's second goal
arriving not long afterwards as Kolo Muani, who had just replaced Ousmane
Dembele, and only got his call-up to the squad following a late injury to
Christopher Nkunku, sparking wild celebrations.
Morocco kept fighting, the brilliant Ounahi firing over in
stoppage time, then seeing a deflected effort fall to Hamdallah, who again
failed to capitalise, but in the end it proved a step too far for the Atlas
Lions, who can be proud of their efforts nonetheless.
What next at the
World Cup?
France will take on Argentina in the World Cup final on
Sunday, with kick-off at 3pm.
Morocco will face Croatia in the third-place play-off on
Saturday, the game kicking off at 3pm.
You can follow both encounters on Sky Sports' digital
platforms.
Mbappe sets up Messi
showdown
It is Argentina against France in the World Cup final and
that means one storyline will dominate. Lionel Messi against Kylian Mbappe. The
world's best against the possible heir to his throne.
The pair, team-mates at club level with Paris Saint-Germain,
will go head to head for World Cup glory. Tied on five goals at the top of the
scoring charts, it might also be a winner-takes-all encounter for the Golden
Boot. Maybe even the Golden Ball too.
The stakes could hardly be higher but it is undoubtedly
Messi who needs it more. The 35-year-old confirmed in the wake of Argentina's
semi-final win over Croatia that Sunday's game will be his final World Cup
appearance. His final shot at the biggest prize of all.
Mbappe, although 11 years Messi's junior, knows precisely
how it feels to win it having done so four years ago in Russia. Win again on
Sunday and he will have done it twice before his 24th birthday.
That would be a crushing outcome for Messi, who has been in
dazzling form throughout the tournament, fuelled by a sense of destiny and
delivering arguably his best performance yet in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Croatia
in Argentina's semi-final.
Mbappe, meanwhile, produced his best performances earlier in
the tournament, scoring doubles against Denmark in the group stage and Poland
in the last 16. Against Morocco, as in the quarter-final win over England, he
exploded into life only occasionally.
Still, though, he, like Messi, looks primed to take centre
stage in the biggest game of all. Will Messi crown his legacy with his first
World Cup in his final appearance in the competition? Or will he be thwarted by
France, and a pretender to his throne?
What the managers
said
France boss Didier Deschamps said: "It's never easy but
it's been such a joy. We're going to go after the title on Sunday.
"We're going to enjoy the time. I tell this to my staff
and players. Take every moment in the day to really appreciate and savour the
moment. In four days we are going to play for a world title.
"You don't lose, you just learn. You need to use those
bad moments to achieve the target. The most important thing is to see the stars
in people's eyes when you celebrate and win.
"Your whole country is behind you, your friends. I feel
very proud, it's a dream come true. I want to win even more trophies."
Morocco's Walid Regragui said: "The most important
thing is to have shown a good face.
"We have shown that football in Morocco exists and that
we have great supporters.
"We gave it our best. This loss doesn't take away
everything we gave before."
Griezmann key again for France
Mbappe showed his electrifying pace at times while Ibrahima
Konate defended assuredly throughout, but Antoine Griezmann was once again
France's outstanding performer.
The Atletico Madrid forward, consistently excellent in
Qatar, produced another hugely influential display, creating four chances to
take his overall total at the World Cup to 21 and put him back above Messi as
the top creator at the tournament.
"I know everyone wants me to talk about Mbappe and
build up the Mbappe vs Messi battle in the final, but this has been the
Griezmann show," said Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy.
"He has been France's standout player.
"He was absolutely everywhere on the pitch against
Morocco. Everything they built up in terms of attack came from him. Some of
their last-ditch defending was him. He is an unreal player."
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, felt Konate
was even better.
France reach fourth
final - Opta stats
·
France are the first nation to reach
back-to-back World Cup finals since Brazil in 2002, and first European country
to do so since Germany in 1990.
·
France have reached the World Cup final for a
fourth time, all since 1998 (1998, 2006, 2018, 2022). This is twice as many as
any other nation in this period.
·
France's Didier Deschamps is only the fourth
manager to lead a nation to back-to-back World Cup finals, after Vittorio Pozzo
with Italy (1934, 1938), Carlos Bilardo with Argentina (1986, 1990), and Franz
Beckenbauer with Germany (1986, 1990).
·
France have won all seven of their World Cup
knockout games since the start of the 2018 tournament. In World Cup history,
only Brazil from 1958 to 1970 (nine) have ever had a longer winning run in
knockout matches at the finals.
·
Randal Kolo Muani scored 44 seconds after coming
on as a substitute for France - this was the third-quickest goal ever scored by
a substitute in a World Cup game, after Ebbe Sand for Denmark v Nigeria in the
1998 round of 16 (26 seconds) and Richard Morales for Uruguay v Senegal in the
2002 group stage (16 seconds).