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FOXBOROUGH, MA – Kylian Mbappé stood behind the ball, placed on the penalty spot, for nearly two minutes.Referee Facundo Tello, hailing from Argentina, paused play in the France vs. Morocco World Cup quarterfinal match as VAR took another look at the foul Mbappé, with his blazing speed, set up in transition in the 25th minute. Hands on hips, Mbappé finally moved toward the ball in the 27th minute.The Real Madrid striker hesitated once. Then twice. Neither fazed Morocco keeper Yassine Bounou, who kept the quarterfinal match tied at 0-0 heading into the first hydration break.It would have been the eighth goal for Mbappé at this tournament and would have tied Argentina’s Lionel Messi, once again, in an epic Golden Boot race.Not that he had to wait much longer.Mbappé struck in the 60th minute to break the scoreless tie as France rolled to a 2-0 victory, earning its third consecutive World Cup semifinal appearance. The goal was every bit of highlight-reel worthy as the other scores Mbappé has produced all tournament. This one came when he settled a pass from Desire Doue near the top of the penalty area. From one step inside the box, he curved his right-footed shot around defender Issa Diop, somehow curling it inside the right post.Mbappé has a combined 11 goals (8) and assists (3) through six matches, the most at single World Cup since Gerd Müller had 13 in 1970."Kylian is incredible," said Ousmane Dembélé, who scored France's second goal six minutes after Mbappé to cast zero doubt about who would emerge victorious. "He's our captain, he doesn't doubt anything. His mental is amazing. And so, we're going to continue scoring."It wasn't all roses for Mbappé against Morocco. He could not hammer home a bouncing ball in the box in the 56th despite having the space and position to execute one of his fantastic finishes. Frustrated after a left-footed cross attempt sailed over the touch line harmlessly, he steeled himself for the string of possessions that ultimately led to his goal.“People think that Kylian is a dictator who only basically thinks about himself. But he is someone who, as a captain, is exemplary … beyond all the goals he scores,” France head coach Didier Deschamps said.There was also the missed penalty."What do you want to know?” Mbappé replied when asked about being stonewalled by Bounou.“Well, I shot and he stopped it. It wasn’t a good shot. It’s complicated, because there’s some kind of imbroglio – the referee is telling me there’s a penalty, I’m asking him if everything’s been checked. He says, 'yes.' So Ousmane sends me the ball. That’s the transition.”Then the referee interrupted him when he was setting up shot, Mbappé said."That’s just the way it is. I let myself be de-concentrated. That’s a scenario I hadn’t experienced yet," he said. "That’s the kind of thing you can actually need to think about, because the referee can tell you it’s a penalty, and then it’s not going to happen. I’m not sure. It’s part of a new kind of soccer style. We need to adapt ourselves.”At 3:08 p.m. ET, Mbappé led his teammates onto the pitch for warmups. Two-and-a-half hours later, he left that field with his left hand raised; the 27-year-old left the game after the trainers checked him out following an injury scare.After Mbappé unfolded himself on the field, cameras later caught him on the bench icing his right ankle and foot but neither he nor Deschamps were asked about the injury post-game. His on-field celebration may indicate he's in fine form with the semifinal approaching.There is a Golden Boot – and perhaps other hardware – to win, after all.
