France have certainly been made to work for their place in another World Cup final. Morocco were wonderful yet again but a remarkable journey is at an end.
‘This is how you play against France,’ a thousand smug voices collectively screamed into the night. Get at them. Take the game to them. Don’t give them a minute to breathe. And, of course, ultimately still lose.
They have not reached four of the last seven World Cup finals and two European Championship showpieces in that time by accident. They are, if not an excellent team, then a collection of stunningly talented individuals whose durability defies convention, with a manager who has grown into the role magnificently.
Morocco were typically phenomenal. They did little wrong as their remarkable journey was stopped at the penultimate hurdle. There has been more than an element of patronisation in how their historic run has been covered in places but this was one last performance of a lifetime under the sort of bright lights to which they ought to become accustomed.
Azzedine Ounahi cannot remain unearthed at Angers for much longer; Sofiane Boufal should not be left abandoned at Ligue Un’s bottom club either. Fiorentina will cross their fingers and hold on to Sofyan Amrabat for dear life. Graham Potter might have liked the look of Hakim Ziyech. Yahia Attiyat Allah has only played eight career club games outside of his home nation and there will be a fair few teams who wish to change that.
But while those players showed yet more to suggest they belong at this level on a more permanent basis, France have already operated there for long enough not to be knocked off course. Not when they conceded first against Australia in their opener. Not when Denmark gave them a game. Not when Tunisia forced a rethink of their squad depth. Not when Poland started brightly. Not when England had them on the ropes. Not here, when perhaps second-best overall again.
France have a tendency to endure and a belief that only comes with having crossed that finish line before. And that can be impossible to put down for good.
The second semi-final of the 2022 World Cup could be summed up by two moments at either end of the game but the same part of the pitch, coincidentally both occurring in the fourth minute – one in the first half and another deep into second-half stoppage-time.
France took the sort of early lead the neutral must have dreaded. The wintry breath of the last punter to frantically point out Morocco…
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