ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: France v Morocco

And then there were eight! writes ALEX CROOK.

After the first non-game day of the tournament on Wednesday the World Cup wings back into action in Boston on Thursday night with the first of four quarter-finals pitting most peoples’ favourites France with dark horses Morocco.

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Although, can you even call Morocco dark horses given they reached the final four in Qatar four years ago and that they have not lost in normal time for 34 matches?

In many ways this is the rematch that all Morocco fans wanted, although maybe not this early in proceedings, as they are out to avenge their 2022 semi-final reverse.

However, having tipped France as my ante-post winners I see no reason to believe they will not continue their journey towards what feels like an inevitable final in New Jersey on Sunday week.

Even if they were made to work hard for their last 16 victory over Paraguay there was never any real danger Les Bleus would not make it through and they have simply been the tournament’s standout performers so far.

The fact Morocco have only one real way of playing, and that is on the front foot, should also suit Didier Deschamps’ men as opposed to if they were up against another low-block side.

This is going to be the seventh meeting between France and Morocco and the previous six have seen four French victories and two draws.

They’ve got the attacking weapons to ensure that record continues, even if Morocco are arguably a more complete team now than they were in that 2022 last four showdown.

I just do not see how Morocco, even with the excellent Ayyoub Bouaddi patrolling the midfield, can stop Deschamps’ awesome front foursome of Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola.

The African side’s game plan may be to shackle Golden Boot contender Mbappe, but that should leave space for the likes of Olise to exploit.

The Bayern Munich speedster has been my player of the tournament so far, another of my ante-post angles.

Olise at 12/5 with starsports.bet to score at any time leaps off the page to me.

France have been slow starters once or twice already, so them to win the second half at 20/21 with starsports.bet is my main selection.

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