France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals for a third consecutive tournament after defeating Morocco, with captain Kylian Mbappe overcoming an early penalty miss to help secure the victory.

Mbappe endured a frustrating start when his first-half penalty was saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after a lengthy three-minute delay before the spot-kick was taken.

However, the France skipper responded in style after the break, firing home a superb goal to give his side the lead. Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe’s former Paris Saint-Germain teammate, later doubled France’s advantage to put the result beyond doubt.

There was a brief injury scare for Mbappe late in the match when he signaled towards the bench before sitting down on the pitch while Morocco were in possession. The 27-year-old appeared uncomfortable and stretched out his right leg with assistance from France’s medical staff.

Mbappe was substituted with 13 minutes remaining and was seen limping to the sidelines, although he acknowledged supporters by waving to the crowd and greeting teammates on the bench.

Television footage later showed ice being applied to his right foot, raising concerns over his condition ahead of the next round. However, any fears appeared to ease after the final whistle as Mbappe joined his teammates in celebrating the victory.

The win sends France into the World Cup semi-finals, where they will face the winner of tomorrow’s quarter-final between Spain and Belgium as they continue their bid for another world title.