Atlas Lions Roar into Historic Final: Morocco Stuns France in Penalty Thriller

The match had started well for Mohamed Ouahbi’s men. Dominating the early stages, they were awarded a penalty after a video review. Yassir Zabiri took it in an unusual way, the ball hitting the post and then the French goalkeeper’s head before going in.

After the break, the dynamics of the match changed. The French team came back with better intentions and logically equalized in the 59th minute through Michal. The score remained unchanged until the end of regulation time, despite chances on both sides.

Extra time saw Morocco play with a numerical advantage after the dismissal of a French player, but they were unable to make the difference. The match was decided on penalties, with a last-minute goalkeeper change on the Moroccan side after the injury-enforced substitution of Yanis Benchaouch, who had made several decisive saves.

The Atlas Lions will therefore play this historic final this Sunday, October 19 in Santiago. They will face the winner of the other semi-final between Argentina and Colombia.