A Slow Burn Before the Explosion
For nearly an hour, Morocco stuck to their defensive game plan and stuck to it well. Coach Walid Regragui's side sat deep, kept their shape tight, and trusted goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to handle whatever came their way. They closed passing lanes, refused to leave gaps between defense and midfield, and absorbed wave after wave of French pressure.

For a while, it looked like the plan might hold up.

Then Mbappé did what Mbappé does. Even standing still, he carries a kind of menace that unsettles defenders before he's even moved.

That's exactly what happened when he collected the ball near the edge of Morocco's box, courtesy of a clever touch from Désiré Doué. As Mbappé nudged the ball forward and dropped his shoulder, defender Issa Diop wisely held his position rather than diving in, knowing full well that committing early would let Mbappé slip past him toward goal.

The Moment of Magic
On paper, Morocco had things covered.

Diop had cut off the near post, Noussair Mazraoui and Ayyoub Bouaddi were shadowing any cut-inside options, Bounou stood alert in the centre, and Neil El Aynaoui was sprinting back to close down space. Mbappé appeared boxed in with nowhere obvious to turn.

But that's when the brilliance kicked in.

With a subtle lift of his boot, Mbappé forced Diop to inst.