EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsIt was billed as an epic clash but France were rarely troubled in their World Cup quarterfinal victory over Morocco on Thursday.In fact, the French barely had any work do defensively and in attack allowed their brilliant array of players to find a way to win. They did exactly that as their captain Kylian Mbapp produced a brilliant moment of magic to open the scoring and Ousmane Dembl added another to reduce any hope of a Moroccan comeback. France hardly broke a sweat here and at the same time sent out further message that they are justified favourites to claim back the trophy.Here's a look at how the 2022 World Cup's beaten finalists performed.Manager rating (out of 10)Didier Deschamps, 8 -- Didn't panic at any point and allowed his starting XI to find a way through before making changes. He has now equalled the most appearances by any manager in the World Cup with 25.Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, 5 = average)GK Mike Maignan, 6 -- Had little to do if anything at all in the first half. Morocco offered so little by way of attacking threat that Maignan was a spectator for the rest of the game but he did need to be alert from an awkward shot by Azzedine Ounahi with five minutes left.RB Jules Kound, 7 -- Not as prolific as usual when it comes to being an attacking threat but kept things neat and tidy in defence. His passing was precise as he kept things simple linking up with more advanced players.CB William Saliba, 7 -- Started the game slightly out of character and was uneasy in possession with a few misplaced passes. Soon composed himself, however, and never looked back. Overall not really tested given Morocco's lack of firepower.CB Dayot Upamecano, 7 -- Nearly opened the scoring early on with a powerful header but was denied by Bounou. Aside from a momentary lapse of concentration in the second half with a sliced clearance, he was strong and composed.LB Lucas Digne, 8 -- Excellent down the left and linked up with Dou especially well, causing overloads on the flank. Always looked to join the attack when he could and he was impressive on the ball. Nearly scored when his effort smashed off the crossbar in the first half.CM Adrien Rabiot, 7 -- Could've been at fault for a goal early on but Morocco wasted the opportunity. Ended up getting a feel for the game and was imposing in midfield, winning any ground duels and also shifting the ball smoothly.CM Manu Kon, 7 -- Filling in for the injured Aurlien Tchouamni he didn't let anyone down. Linked with several Premier League clubs this week and they will be impressed by what they saw as Kone provided a strong, smart presence in midfield. Made a very good tackle on Brahim Daz in the first half that could've been a dangerous Moroccan attack. Faded slightly in the second half, but still gave an overall good account of himself -- and could well keep his place in the semifinal.AM Michael Olise, 7 -- Not at his headline grabbing best but still took part in most of the France attacks, showing off his skills and attempting to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Did well to draw fouls though and maintain a good tempo in the France attack when Morocco were looking to dig in defensively.LW Dsir Dou, 8 -- Excellent in the first half and looked to go on his favourite type of mazy run when possible. Forced a save out of Bounou when he robbed the highly rated Bouaddi. The young winger attempted to dribble and drive when given the opportunity in the second half and his flick played in Mbapp for the opener. He also could've had one himself just before the hour mark but was denied by Bounou. A very strong performance and a shout for France's best player.RW Ousmane Dembl, 7 -- Was largely invisible for much of the game and struggled to influence play with the majority of France's attacks running through Dou and Mbapp. Credit to him for staying active and in the hunt however as he appeared from nowhere to power through and finish well for the French second.ST Kylian Mbapp, 8 -- Made amends for his dreadful penalty miss with one of the goals of the tournament. It was a piece of brilliance the game sorely needed and few can execute the skill of putting dip on the shot like the Real Madrid man. He was constantly active throughout the game and always looked the most likely source of a goal involvement, so it's no surprise he scored and also grabbed an assist for Dembl to essentially seal the victory. There will be concern at what looked like an apparent injury that forced him off.Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no rating)CM Warren Zare-Emery NR -- Kept it short and simple after coming on.ST Jean-Philippe Mateta NR -- Looked to cause problems when France attacked and had one shot saved by Bounou.LW Bradley Barcola NR -- Had a few touches but nothing to trouble Morocco.
