World Cup Predictions: France to beat Morocco

France and Morocco will fight for a place in the World Cup final, it is France's to lose but Morocco has earned the right to be respected. (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

France vs Morocco

Al Bayt Stadium, Qatar

8:00pm

The World Cup is hitting the home stretch and while we’re excited that league football will kick off in a bit, we don’t want to see the end of what has proven to be the most erratic World Cup ever.

On paper, the clash between the defending champions and the Atlas Lions of Morocco looks like a one-sided affair but in a World Cup where the quartet of Germany, Belgium, and Denmark didn’t make it out of the group stage, with Japan, Morocco, and Australia getting the best of these teams, you’ll change your mind.

France remains the hot favorite even with Argentina in the final but so was Spain against Morocco in the round of 16, and so was Portugal against Morocco in the quarter-final. France will be humble even with their fire powers as they head into the semifinal.

Morocco has created some fear factors, not only as the surprise package of the tournament but also as the giant killers. There’s only one way to stop Morocco, beat their seemingly unbeatable goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, can Le Bleus do it?

The Sevilla goalkeeper has shone brightly in Qatar and his stock has risen beyond imagination; it has actually been a World Cup of goalkeepers with Dominik Livanovic of Croatia, Emi Martinez of Argentina, and Hugo Lloris all also helping their teams in their own ways.

Morocco will defend deep as always but is this the game where they crumble under pressure? They seem to have run out of depth after the grueling game against the Portuguese side, can France benefit from that to win effortlessly?

France will be expected to beat Morocco, they have to be careful not to fall into a ditch. Both sides will be respectful but Antoine Griezmann will be instrumental as the pocket picker right in front of Aurelio Tchoumeni and Adrien Rabiot.

Morocco certainly doesn’t have what it takes to stop Kyllian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud continues to roll back the years. Argentina is waiting in the final to play the winner of this game, it looks a lot more like it would be the champions who would try to do what no one has done in 60 years.

Verdict: France to win