France vs Morocco odds and predictions: Who is the favorite in the World Cup 2022 game?
The 2018 world champs will face the stand-out team of the tournament for a place in the final. Will there be another upset?
Two games left. That’s how far France and Morocco are from glory, as both nations have made it to the World Cup semifinals and will now battle it out for a spot in the last round of the tournament.
Les Bleus could make history if they beat the Atlas Lions. It has been 84 years since a European nation reached consecutive and won World Cup finals; when Italy did so in 1934 and 1938.
The Deschamps factor
Didier Deschamps, who won the tournament as a player in 1998, will try to carry France to victory, something Les Coqs have done in the last three semifinals they played in 1998, 2006, and 2018.
France, one of the main favorites to go all the way, topped Group D, by winning against Australia and Denmark, while they lost their only game in the tournament against Tunisia when some of their key players were benched.
In the quarterfinals, the French squad handled Poland quite comfortably (3-1), while in the quarterfinals suffered to defeat England (1-2), although Gareth Southgate’s men fought till the very last second.
Morocco: a defending machine
Meanwhile, Morocco are recording their best performance in the World Cup, being the first-ever African nation to reach the semifinals of the tournament. But before going this far, they also finished the group stage in style, grabbing Group F’s top spot after defeating Belgium and Canada and drawing against Croatia.
How can a team that hardly concedes lose? That’s the case of Morocco, as they have only conceded one goal in Qatar and it was Nayef Aguerd’s own goal against Canada.
They were heavy underdogs against Luis Enrique’s Spain, but the squad that was able to find the back of the net seven times against Costa Rica wasn’t able to score once in 120 minutes, not even in the penalty shootout.
Defeating La Roja in the Round of 16 was already something huge for Walid Regragui’s men but they weren’t satisfied and eliminated Portugal next thanks to a Youssef En-Nesyri goal.
France vs Morocco: odds
The odds suggest France is the nation with the better chance of qualifying for the semifinals, as the bookmakers consider Deschamps’ side has lots of talented players in all of their lines and with experience in Europe’s top leagues.
Moreover, they have probably the most in-form attacking duo in the tournament with Kilyan Mbappé and Olivier Giroud, with five and four goals, respectively.
France are tipped to come out on top at 11/25 (1.44), while an upset by the Atlas Lions is tipped at 6/1 (7.0). The draw is being paid at 5/2 (3.5).
France vs Morocco: prediction
Morocco will go into the match with a similar strategy to the one used against Spain and Portugal, basing their game on a rock-solid defense and trying to capitalize on the opponent’s mistakes with quick counterattacks.
However, France, despite not having some key players like N’Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba or Karim Benzema, have quality and athleticism in all of their lines, besides the experience factor too.
This World Cup has offered lots of upsets and the concept of favorite and underdog has become more subjective than ever but can Morocco pull off a third upset in a row? Against France, probably not.
France 1-0 Morocco