At 3 o'clock Beijing time on December 15, the semifinals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup will continue, and France will play Morocco at the Gulf Stadium. The former is the defending champion, the latter is the biggest dark horse of this World Cup, and the friend showdown between Mbappe and Ashraf is eye-catching, but it is likely that someone else will decide the outcome of the match.
December 15, 3 o'clock
Semifinals (2) France vs Morocco
France are focused on breaking down dense defenses, and Morocco will not target Mbappe
France vs Morocco, if placed before the opening of the World Cup in Qatar, it may be a game without much suspense, and France should be able to win easily. Now that the World Cup is in the semi-finals, Morocco is the number one dark horse, and no team can underestimate them, including defending champions France.
This is the seventh time France has reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, losing the first three times, the last three successful finals, winning the title twice, and Morocco reaching the last four of the World Cup for the first time in the team's history.
France captain Lowry bluntly said that they admire and respect Morocco's way to the qualification and the overall performance of the World Cup, "It is no coincidence when a team can beat Belgium and eliminate Spain and Portugal. They have a lot to learn from when it comes to cohesion and team spirit. ”
Mbappe and Ashraf will stage "Friends". Photo/Visual China
In the previous five matches, Morocco have won four and drawn one, scoring five goals and conceding only one, and it was an own goal scored by its own players. In other words, no opponent has ever broken through Morocco's doors. In contrast, France won 4 and lost 1, scoring 11 goals and conceding 5, conceding goals in every game, attacking but not very solid at the back.
France coach Deschamps mentioned that Morocco's defensive ability is a fact and that none of their previous opponents have found a good solution: "They have a solid defense and a number of players with both discipline and personal ability to inflict heavy blows on the defensive counter-attack. Our coaching staff is clear about that and our goal is to create problems for their defence. ”
Morocco is a little uncomfortable with France's attention, with manager Regraguei saying: "I personally hope that France has less respect for us, otherwise the game will become very difficult. Of course, we are here to change the mentality of football on the African continent, and hopefully the players will not rest on their laurels and we will strive to reach the final. ”
Regragui stressed that the team will not have a plan for Mbappe, "Hakimi [Ashraf] knows Mbappe better than I do, and I am not worried with him personally watching. There are a lot of great players in France, like Griezmann who leads the needle in midfield, and we still have a lot of people to be careful of. ”
In the battle against Portugal, Ziyech (right) fought until he left injured. How to crack Morocco's iron-blooded defense is a big test for France.
World ranking: 4th in France, 22nd in Morocco
Historical Meetings: The two sides have met 8 times in history, with France winning 5 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat, including unbeaten in regular time, only losing one penalty shootout in 1998. The previous eight matches between the two teams have all been friendly matches, and this World Cup semi-final is the first time the two sides have met in the World Series.
Most recent meeting: November 2007 friendly France 2-2 Morocco
Score prediction: France 2-1 Morocco
Qatar World Cup knockout matchup chart
Beijing News reporter Xu Bangyin
Edited by Wang Chunqiu
Cartographer Chunlei
Proofreading by Wang Xin