Kylian Mbappe recovered from having a first-half penalty saved to score an opener that set France on their way to a 2-0 win over Morocco in their World Cup quarter-final showdown on Thursday.

Mbappe's weak spot-kick was easily saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, but he made up for that by producing a curling finish to make it 1-0 on the hour mark.

That was Mbappe's eighth goal at the tournament, moving him level again with eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, before he came off late on and watched the final minutes with an ice pack around his right ankle.

Before exiting, he set up Ousmane Dembele to run through and settle the contest watched by 63,811 spectators at the Boston Stadium, as France knocked Morocco out, just as they did in 2022.

Spain or Belgium test awaits

Their 2-0 win four years ago in Qatar came in the semi-final stage, and this time the victory for Les Bleus takes them through to the last four. They will face Spain or Belgium in Dallas next Tuesday.

France are looking to reach a third consecutive World Cup final in their last tournament before long-serving coach Didier Deschamps stands down.

Winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, it has felt like France have eased through to another semi-final.

Mbappe has now scored 20 goals in 20 World Cup appearances, within one goal of Messi's overall tournament record of 21. The French captain has 64 international goals from 104 appearances.