Kylian Mbappé suffers injury scare as France book World Cup semifinal berth
· Yahoo Sports
Kylian Mbappé was substituted early in France's FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Morocco after sustaining an injury.
On Thursday, France faced Morocco in Boston with both nations competing for a spot in the semifinals. Mbappé was central to the action, squandering a penalty in the opening half that left him frustrated with the officials before eventually breaking through in the second half.
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At the hour mark, the Real Madrid forward skillfully found the corner to put France ahead, and five minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé doubled the advantage, seemingly securing Didier Deschamps' side another win. However, the performance was marred with just under 15 minutes left, as Mbappé went down without contact and was subsequently withdrawn, as per The Mirror US.
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France can ill afford any injury concerns, particularly to the player widely regarded as one of the best in the world.
Unable to carry on, Deschamps withdrew his star player for Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta. Bradley Barcola also entered the match, replacing Desire Doué.
France without Mbappé presents a vastly different challenge, despite the forward's first-half penalty miss. He remained the player who ultimately earned the penalty kick; a blistering counterattack gave Mbappé possession, and he glided past Noussair Mazraoui with a stepover before being brought down.
However, VAR stepped in to review a possible foul during the buildup, with the official stopping play after Mbappé placed the ball on the spot and retreated. Following more than two minutes of delay, Mbappé approached and struck a weak penalty to his right, which Yassine Bono comfortably saved.
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Apart from shootouts, Mbappé has now failed to convert two penalties for France, with his previous miss occurring against Kazakhstan in 2021.
Mbappé's goal marks his 20th at the World Cup and his eighth of the current competition, matching Lionel Messi at the top of what is proving a captivating Golden Boot race. Ultimately, the danger he presents in front of the attacking trio behind him - typically featuring Michael Olise, Barcola, and Dembélé - will prove crucial to France's World Cup ambitions.
Indeed, Dembélé's goal against Morocco makes France the first nation to have two players each net five or more goals in a single World Cup since Brazil in 2002, when Rivaldo scored five, and Ronaldo notched eight. This summer, Dembélé has five while Mbappé has eight.
France secured a 2-0 victory against Morocco, matching the scoreline from when these nations last met in the 2022 World Cup semifinals. However, Les Bleus will now anxiously await news on whether their star forward will be fit for the semifinals and potentially the final.
Mbappé appeared unfazed during the full-time celebrations, suggesting Deschamps' decision may have simply been precautionary.