Rabat – Morocco will face France in the semi-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, after the French team secured its spot by defeating Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
The two goals come from Saïmon Bouabré in the 19th and 37th minutes. Although Rasmus Holten pulled one back for the Norwegians, they couldn’t complete the comeback.
The semi-final is scheduled for Wednesday at 9 p.m. Moroccan time (GMT+1), with coach Mohamed Ouahbi’s squad aiming to continue their historic run.
Morocco’s youth team has matched the achievement of the iconic “2005 generation,” reaching the semi-finals of the U-20 World Cup for the second time in history, after a 3-1 win over the United States in the quarter-finals.
This semi-final is a repeat of the Men’s World Cup in Qatar 2022, where Morocco lost 2-0 to France. Now, the Atlas Cubs hope to reach the final. If they succeed, they’ll be the first Arab team ever to do it, and the third African team after Ghana and Nigeria.
France reached the semi-finals after a tough run. They lost to the United States 3-0 in the group stage but still advanced after beating South Africa 2-1 and New Caledonia 6-0.
In the Round of 16, they beat Japan 1-0 with a late goal in extra time. Then they won 2-1 against Norway in the quarter-finals, with both goals scored by Saïmon Bouabré.
France’s most dangerous players in this competition are 19-year-old Saïmon Bouabré, Adrien Le Borgne, and Lucas Michel.
Bouabré has been key in the knockout rounds, scoring twice against Norway. Le Borgne has netted 3 goals so far, showing strong finishing and movement in the box.
Monaco player Lucas Michel is France’s top scorer in the tournament with 4 goals, making him a constant threat in front of the goal. Morocco’s defense will need to stay sharp against all three.