Photography by: Kyros Morales and Brandon Koodish

Kylian Mbappé shrugged off the rare disappointment of a missed penalty to once again carry France into the latter stages of the FIFA World Cup, scoring once and creating another in a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Thursday night at Boston Stadium.

With the win in Foxborough, Les Bleus advanced to a third consecutive World Cup semifinal, keeping alive their pursuit of a place in a third straight final. Didier Deschamps' side will now face either Spain or Belgium in Dallas.

Mbappé entered the evening already leading the race for the Golden Boot, but it briefly appeared his night might be remembered for a costly miss. After Noussair Mazraoui brought down the France captain midway through the first half, Mbappé stepped to the penalty spot following a lengthy VAR review. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou guessed correctly, diving to his right to deny the tournament's biggest star and preserve the deadlock.

It proved to be only a temporary setback.

France controlled the match from the opening whistle, overwhelming Morocco with sustained pressure and a relentless attacking tempo. Mbappé threatened inside the opening five minutes, while Dayot Upamecano and Ousmane Dembélé also tested Bounou as Morocco struggled to escape its own half. By halftime, France had attempted 13 shots to Morocco's one, but the Atlas Lions reached the interval level thanks largely to Bounou's heroics.

Morocco's best opportunity came just before the break when Achraf Hakimi curled a free kick narrowly wide, but clear chances remained scarce against a disciplined French back line.

The breakthrough finally arrived on the hour mark.

After Morocco failed to fully clear the danger, Mbappé collected possession just outside the penalty area and curled a precise finish beyond Bounou into the far corner. It was the forward's eighth goal of the tournament and the 20th World Cup goal of his remarkable career, moving him within one of Lionel Messi on the competition's all-time scoring list.

Six minutes later, France struck again. Mbappé drove toward the penalty area before cleverly laying the ball into Dembélé's path. Rather than stopping his run, the captain continued toward goal, dragging defenders with him and creating the space Dembélé needed to calmly slot home his fifth goal of the tournament.

France comfortably managed the closing stages despite a late ankle knock forcing Mbappé from the match. The captain later confirmed the injury was only a minor issue, easing concerns ahead of the semifinals.

The victory also carried added historical significance. France became just the third nation with the opportunity to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, continuing a remarkable era under Deschamps that has now produced semifinal appearances at three straight tournaments.

For Morocco, another spirited World Cup run came to an end against familiar opposition. Just as in the 2022 semifinals, the Atlas Lions were unable to solve France, but another deep tournament run reinforced the nation's place among international football's emerging powers.

As for France, the path toward another World Cup crown remains very much alive—and once again, Mbappé is leading the way.