France won't get ahead of itself after quarterfinal win over Morocco

FOXBOROUGH - Not coronation, but confirmation.

France is headed to its third consecutive World Cup semifinal after defeating Morocco 2-0 on Thursday at Boston Stadium. Les Blues posted its third clean sheet in as many knockout stage games. No one has scored against France since Norway's Thelo Aasgaard on June 26, a 339-minute shutout streak that remains ongoing.

The French will face either Spain or Belgium in the semifinal at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas. Those teams will meet at 3 p.m. Friday in Los Angeles.

"It is a confirmation for us," France manager Didier Deschamps said through FIFA's translation service. "We’re extremely proud to be here."

France has outscored opponents 16-2 at this World Cup. Captain Kylian Mbappe is tied for the scoring lead with eight goals (with Lionel Messi) and in a strong position for his second consecutive Golden Boot award. The team has reached the past two World Cup finals and won in 2018.

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"Experience is the difference," said Deschamps, a former French captain. "We’re not copy pasting. The situation is different, the conditions are different."

Experience has taught him that the trophy isn't France's until the final whistle blows in the final. And Les Blues haven't reached the final yet. There's still a semifinal to context against one fo the world's 10 best teams regardless of who they line up against in Dallas.

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Reaching the semifinal means France will play two more games regardless of what happens. A win means a third straight trip to the final. A loss sends them to the third-place game.

"We know which one I’m aiming for," Deschamps said.

Certainly not alone.

"I'm proud to have this team next to me," Deschamps said. "The collective spirit is our strength. The players understood being part of the French team is a duty to the fans, the fans in France and the younger generation."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: France won't get ahead of itself after quarterfinal win over Morocco