France v Morocco: Back a 7/2 second half French lesson & Mbappe involved in 11/2 Boston Bet Builder

Too much French firepower for Morocco

Click here for France v Morocco odds
Thursday 9 July, 21:00 kick-off
Gillete Stadium, Foxborough, Boston
Live on ITV1 & ITVX

France really had to work hard to beat Paraguay after previously sailing through the tournament, and it'll be tough again against Morocco, who can offer a similar defensive solidity but far more attacking threat.

Les Bleus are still 4/71.57 match favourites after winning seven in a row, as they look to become just the third team ever to reach three straight World Cup semi-finals.

Morocco may be 11/26.50 but are gunning for a second straight semi-final themselves after losing to the French in the 2022 semis. And it seems they're becoming the African version of France as a crack tournament outfit that's becoming used to going deep in major finals.

The Atlas Lions just don't lose football matches too often, going an incredible 34 games since last losing in 90 minutes - and even adding extra-time and penalties there's just one single loss in that spell, that being the dramatic African Cup of Nations final against Senegal that was later overturned.

Didier Deschamps' side haven't lost competitively since Spain beat them last June so this really does look like a heavyweight battle, with the 29/103.90 draw an option with it set to be a tight battle.

It's a game that doesn't scream goals really, as both don't mind playing it cagey and Morocco especially will be very wary about the pace of Kylian Mbappe and his French attacking chums so will try and limit the space in behind - but both sides also don't need too many chances to score.

Morocco beat Canada 3-0 for instance with just four shots on target. So the firepower is there for both teams to score to land at 9/101.90 but it also wouln't be any surprise if either side pinched a 1-0 win.

The half-time draw is well-fancied at 13/102.30 and rightly so as I can see these two trading jabs early before saving the haymakers for later - and as good as Morocco have been this France outfit just have too many weapons when it comes down to it. Extra-time wouldn't be a surprise at all but I'll take the French to win it.

A new way to back Mbappe in 11/26.50 Bet Builder

There's obviously loads of attacking talent to go at with Framce, not least of course Kylian Mbappe who is 5/61.84 to score anytime and continue his remarkable World Cup record. Mbappe is an OddsBoost though for this game so he's enhanced to 1/12.00.

Ousmane Dembele is next best at 23/103.30 after his four goals so far (including a hat-trick) while for Morocco Soufiane Rahimi is 4/15.00 and seen as Morocco's biggest threat. He scored against Canada after coming on for the injured Ismael Saibari - their leading scorer faces a race against time to be fit here and even if he does start there'll be question marks about him as he's usually such an all-action player that a muscle injury could really slow him down.

Mbappe averages an insane 3.4 shots on target per game so far at the World Cup, hitting 3+ in four of five games so far. Morocco have allowed just 12 shots on target in total so far but Mbappe is a different animal, so is just 6/42.50 for 3+ shots on target in Boston.

Just a word of caution though that not one single player has had multiple shots on target in the same game against this Moroccan defence in the World Cup so far - of course they've not played Mbappe's France yet...

If you're backing Michael Olise an assist at 23/103.30 would be the obvious choice as he's got five so far, coming in three games. He's 15/82.88 for 2+ shots on target, which he's managed twice, but he didn't have one single goal attempt against Paraguay which would be a bit of a concern.

And if shots are at a premium then fouls surely won't be, as only Switzerland have averaged more per game than Morocco's 12.2 of the teams still remaining in the World Cup.

They've got players with some great numbers for fouls committed and drawn, so we'll tackle the foul involvement market here for a little treble on the game - starting with Achraf Hakimi for 4+ foul involvements, which has landed twice and has every chance again with the foul numbers for French players down their left side.

Likewise over on the right, where Michael Olise is 1/41.25 but Noussair Mazraoui is 11/102.11 for 3+ foul involvements, with not much between them in fouls per game (2.4-2.25) and with Olise also on a booking he'll have to tread carefully - we'll take the Moroccan left-back.

Mbappe at [13/10 for 3+ foul involvements finishes things off nicely. It's landed twice with two further games hitting two, and with the stakes raised even higher and Morocco being such a foul-heavy team the conditions look perfect for that to land.

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