France-Morocco face off in quarterfinals: Canada and Paraguay eliminated

France and Morocco are set to face off in a high-voltage quarter-final of the World Cup. Morocco thrashed Canada 3-0 in two separate last-16 matches on Saturday, while France secured a place in the last eight by breaking Paraguay’s strong resistance with a 1-0 win.

Morocco beats Canada to reach quarters

Morocco was somewhat cornered by Canada’s attacking football in the first half of the match. However, the Moroccan footballers came out of their shell in the second half and won a great victory.

• Morocco’s goalscorer: Azzedine Unai scored twice for Morocco, before substitute Soufiane Rahimi scored in extra time to seal a 3-0 win for Morocco.
• Coach’s reaction: Morocco coach Mohamed Wahbi expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, saying, “Canada played a great match. But we were able to capitalize on the gaps they left in the second half and that was the key to the victory.”

Meanwhile, Canada coach Jesse Marsh expressed pride in his team’s fighting spirit despite the defeat. Canada became the first co-host nation to be eliminated from the tournament.

Mbappe’s penalty kills Paraguay

In the 38 degree Celsius heat of Philadelphia, France struggled to break through Paraguay’s defensive wall. Paraguay’s players tried to bottle up the French stars from the start by playing a ‘low block’ defense and physical football.

• Match-Deciding Goal: France were awarded a penalty in the 70th minute when substitute Desiree Due was fouled. Kylian Mbappe converted a successful spot-kick to seal the win.
• Mbappe’s record: This is Mbappe’s seventh goal of the tournament, making him joint top scorer with Lionel Messi. His total number of goals in the World Cup now stands at 19.

Paraguay managed only one shot on target in the entire 90 minutes of the match, and despite their best efforts, they were ultimately unable to cope with a strong French squad.

The quarter-final clash

France and Morocco will face off in Foxborough on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals. Morocco, who reached the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, will be looking to continue their fairytale run, while the French will be looking to take a step forward, riding on Mbappe’s familiar form.