Morocco hopes to end France FIFA World Cup The title charge suffered a major loss, with in-form forward Ismael Saibari missing Thursday’s blockbuster quarter-final due to a hamstring injury.Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed on the eve of the match that the PSV Eindhoven star has failed to recover after picking up the injury during Morocco’s 3-0 Round of 16 win over Canada, depriving the Atlas Lions of one of their most influential players for the biggest game of their campaign.“He is not ready yet but hopefully this is not the end of the tournament for him,” Ouahbi told reporters.Saibari was one of Morocco’s standout performers at the tournament, scoring in all three group stage matches before converting the decisive penalty in the shootout victory over the Netherlands in the Round of 32. His absence leaves a huge hole in Morocco’s attack as they try to upset two-time world champions France and reach the World Cup semi-finals for the second tournament in a row.
Ouahbi refused to change Morocco’s approach
Despite losing one of his key attacking weapons, Ouahbi insisted Morocco will not abandon the style of play that took them to the last eight.“Regarding the preparation for the match, there are no surprises. I am not hiding anything. I am not a person who likes surprises, and those who analyze our games, you know that we have a clear idea of how we want to play,” he said.The Moroccan coach stressed that patience in possession and intelligent movement will be crucial against Didier Deschamps’ side.“Of course, the key is to hurt them when we have possession, but not just on the wings. We have to be patient with the ball, and find where we can pass on the sides or in the center. We have proven that we can hurt any team, and that is the goal,” he added.The quarter-final is a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, where France ended Morocco’s historic run with a 2-0 victory. However, Ouahbi believes both teams have changed a lot since then.“Every game is different. We have a different team, and we will face a different French team than the one from four years ago,” he said.Rejecting suggestions that just reaching the quarter-finals should satisfy his players, Ouahbi added. “France may be favourites, but we will do everything possible to win. Being at this stage is not a bonus. The bonus is winning the World Cup.”
France looks to make another deep run at the World Cup
France enter the Foxborough clash with a perfect five-match record and chasing a third straight FIFA World Cup semi-final appearance. Kylian Mbappe led the charge with seven goals, while: Ousmane DembeleMichael Olise and Bradley Barcola completed a formidable attack.Deschamps warned against underestimating Morocco despite Saibari’s absence.“We met them four years ago in the semifinal. This is a very good, very good team with top-notch individuals. They are not here to play. They are there to win,” he said.The French coach also dismissed concerns about the off-field controversies surrounding Mbappe, insisting, “Kylian is OK… He’s just focused on tomorrow’s game.”Morocco, unbeaten in 10 games since the end of the Africa Cup of Nations in January, are still chasing a first-ever win against France after four defeats and two draws in six previous meetings. The winners will face Spain or Belgium in the semi-finals.