France vs Morocco is the second semifinal game of the 2022 World Cup. The winner of this match will get to play the Final on December 18, with the winner of Argentina vs Croatia game. So, which of these two will get a chance to win the trophy – the reigning champions France or the biggest overachievers of the tournament, Morocco?
France vs Morocco Odds
Match-Winner
| France | -189 |
| Draw | +275 |
| Morocco | +700 |
Goals Over/Under
| Over 2.5 | +120 |
| Under 2.5 | -114 |
*Odds taken from bet365 on Monday, December 12.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar
- Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2022
- Time: 2:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: FOX/Telemundo
A (Seemingly) Easy Job for the Reigning Champions
France are coming into the semifinal game as odds-on favorites against Morocco. No surprise there for two reasons. The first one is that Morocco just isn’t a great team despite achieving historic success in Qatar. The second reason is that France are playing amazing soccer.
There were some worries before the start of the tournament that this team was going to fail due to serious problems with injuries. Players who were key to France’s triumph four years ago – Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante – didn’t even come to Qatar, while the world’s best attacker Karim Benzema suffered an injury just before the start of the tournament.
Nevertheless, even without them, France have done a wonderful job in Qatar. They reached the semis after beating England in the quarterfinal. It was a tough match, but they managed to get through, and now, they’re faced with a seemingly easier challenge.
They definitely have the manpower to beat Morocco, but they need to take this game seriously. After all, Morocco has already defeated a number of big favorites.
Morocco Determined to Slay Another Giant
Morocco got to the knockouts of the 2022 World Cup after finishing top of Group F with two wins and one draw. They drew with Croatia (another semifinalist) while beating Canada and Belgium, the team that finished third in the previous World Cup.
In the round of 16, Morocco defeated Spain on Penalties after 0-0 regular time. They had only 23% ball possession in that match but were able to keep Spain’s players at bay. Then, in the penalty shootout, their goalie Bono went into a beast mode, saving all three penalties.
Bono was brilliant in the quarterfinal as well, keeping a clean sheet once again. His team beat favored Portugal 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by Youssef En Nesyri in the first half. In the remainder of the game, Morocco defended with all they got, having the ball in their possession for just 20% of the second 45 minutes.
That strategy worked for the Atlas Lions in the quarterfinal, and you can be certain they’ll try the same in the semifinal. But will it work this time?
France vs Morocco Prediction
Morocco are punching above their weight. They’re a spirited team with some great athletes on the roster. However, quality-wise, they definitely aren’t one of the top 4 teams in the world. They’ve already achieved incredible success – becoming the first African side to get to the World Cup semis – but this is where their journey ends.
Pick: France to win