Mbappe Penalty Save by Bounou Keeps Morocco Level with France at Half-Time
In the first quarterfinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, France and Morocco played out a goalless first half at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Thursday. The match's defining moment came in the 28th minute, when France were awarded a penalty after a foul in the box. Star forward Kylian Mbappe stepped up to take the spot-kick, but his shot lacked power and direction, allowing Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to dive correctly and make a comfortable save.
The miss denied Mbappe a chance to draw level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. Messi, who has scored eight goals in the tournament, has also missed two penalties. Mbappe would have joined him on eight goals but would have topped the charts due to his two assists compared to Messi's one. However, the score remained 0-0.
Morocco's defence, marshalled by Bounou, remained resolute throughout the half. The goalkeeper was kept busy, making saves from a powerful low drive by Mbappe and efforts from Dayot Upamecano and Lucas Digne. Despite France's dominance in possession and chances, Morocco held firm to go into the break level.
The match is the first of the quarterfinal stage, with the winner advancing to face the victor of the England versus Argentina clash. France are the defending champions, having won the 2022 edition, while Morocco made history by reaching the quarterfinals for the first time.
