France vs Morocco 4-0: Women’s World Cup 2023 – as it happened

The round of 16 is wrapped up, and the quarter-final line-up has been finalised.

France and Colombia have booked their spots in the last eight.

We’ll be back on Friday with full coverage of Spain vs Netherlands and Japan vs Sweden.

Thanks for joining us!

A reminder of the day’s earlier game at the Women’s World Cup.

Colombia booked their spot in the quarter-finals with a hard fought victory over Jamaica in Melbourne.

Catalina Usme scored the only goal of the match as the South American side advanced.

The Reggae Girlz couldn’t find a leveller and return home after a great run in their first appearance at the World Cup.

You can read the full match report here.

Thumbs up if you're in the Quarter-Finals! 👍🇨🇴👍@CataUsme | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/xjtYLnRf8q

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 8, 2023

France looked very strong against Morocco, but they’ll have to be at their very best on Saturday against Australia.

The co-hosts swept Denmark aside on Monday and saw Sam Kerr return to the team off the bench.

The Matildas will also be playing in front of a partisan crowd in Brisbane.

The two teams met in a friendly in Melbourne just before the World Cup kicked off. Australia won 1-0 thanks to a Mary Fowler goal in the second half. But there will be a lot more riding on Saturday’s game.

Our #FIFAWWC quarter-final opponents have been confirmed! 🚨

🇦🇺v🇫🇷 12.8.23 (5.00 pm AEST)
🏟️ Brisbane Stadium#Matildas #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/zIxwTMGnYY

— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 8, 2023

Some intriguing ties are coming up on Friday and Saturday:

Spain vs Netherlands, Wellington, Friday

Japan vs Sweden, Auckland, Friday

Australia vs France, Brisbane, Saturday

England vs Colombia, Sydney, Saturday

Quarter-Finals, @EquipedeFranceF are coming for you! 🫵@WRenard | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/IACopXWhe7

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 8, 2023

A sad sight in Adelaide.

Benzina sits alone on the bench in tears. Despite the result tonight, she can be proud of her World Cup.

She became the first player to wear a hijab at a World Cup and also put in some strong performances, particularly in the final group game against Colombia.

In the past nine months, Morocco have had great World Cup runs from both their men and women.

𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦 🔥

Les Bleues s'imposent 4-0 face au Maroc et décrochent leur ticket pour les 1/4 de finale de la Coupe du Monde 🎟️ 🔜#FRAMAR #FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/y2gWJO3MNb

— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) August 8, 2023

France have booked their spot in the quarter-finals in some style.

They had far too much for Morocco on the night.

Australia await.

Full time: France 4-0 Morocco

Off: Karchaoui, Diani

On: Viviane Asseyi, Aissatou Tounkara

The referee has added on three minutes of stoppage time.

90+1 mins: France 4-0 Morocco

Ouzraoui wins a free kick for Morocco on the right side, just over midway inside the French half.

It’s hoisted into the French box but causes no real danger.

France are preparing two more changes.

89 mins: France 4-0 Morocco 

Feller is also making her presence felt, showing some great speed as she tries to reach an attempted through ball.

There’s clearly plenty of quality throughout this French squad.

The pace of the game has really slowed down now with both sides knowing that the outcome is in no doubt.

85 mins: France 4-0 Morocco

El Chad is rolling around in pain after being shoved in the back by Diani.

While she is down, France make a couple more changes:

Off: Le Sommer, Perisset

On: Naomie Feller, Estelle Cascarino

81 mins: France 4-0 Morocco

What a goal this would have been.

Morocco play a very high line from a France free kick in the middle of the Moroccan half. The ball finds De Almeida on the right.

She crosses a ball which finds Diani right in front of goal. The PSG forward hits it the first time, but ends up hooking the ball over the bar.

A well worked move.

78 mins: France 4-0 Morocco

Herve Renard may look to take off a few of his star players as this game drifts through the last 15 minutes.

Benzina is down injured holding her knee. She was caught by Le Sommer, but is quickly back to her feet.

76 mins: France 4-0 Morocco

This French forward line will take some stopping. Barring a Moroccan miracle, Australia will have that task on Saturday in the quarter-final.

The game resumes after Le Sommer’s second goal with France continuing to knock the ball around the pitch.

A tough end to Morocco’s campaign.

73 mins: France 4-0 Morocco 

Le Sommer scores her second of the night!

A long ball forward finds Becho on the right. She takes on Redouani, twisting and turning away from the Moroccan defender.

Becho then curls in a deep cross which finds Le Sommer at the back post. The French star nods into the net with ease.

Another lovely move from Les Bleues.

70 mins: France 4-0 Morocco

Karchaoui decides to go it alone.

She picks the ball up midway in the Moroccan half and surges towards goal. She cuts inside into the middle of the pitch and fires a shot at goal from just outside the box.

The effort is straight at Er-Rmichi who comfortably saves the ball.

68 mins: France 3-0 Morocco 

One change for France, with Sandie Tolletti coming off for Vicki Becho.

Three changes for Morocco:

Off: Fatima Tagnaout, Elodie Nakkach, Anissa Lahmari

On: Sofia Bouftini, Laurina Fazer, Rosella Ayane

66 mins: France 3-0 Morocco 

Dali whips a ball in from the right. Er-Rmichi comes out to punch it away but completely misses the ball.

Diani gets a touch on the ball but can’t direct the ball towards goal. Le Sommer also fails to find the net.

63 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

France are passing the ball around, but they lack the cutting edge that we saw in the first half.

Both sides are about to make some changes.

61 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Ait El Haj is rightfully booked after clattering into the back of Le Sommer.

That’s the first time Tori Penso has had to reach for her cards.

Le Sommer is quickly back into the thick of the action, trying to win the ball on the edge of the Morocco box.

At the other end, Chebbak has great vision to pick out a run from Ouzraoui with an attempted pass from the centre circle. But the forward pass is a little too strong and the ball runs away from Ouzraoui.

59 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Some lovely French passing in the Morocco half but Geyoro finds herself offside and the move breaks down.

The camera finds some Moroccan fans in the stands. They are still dancing despite the scoreline.

55 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Chebbak floats a ball into the box from the right, but Peyraud-Magnin comfortably catches it.

Where was this Moroccan performance in the first half?

France will want to make sure that they don’t let in any goals, as this crowd will be right behind the Atlas Lionesses.

53 mins: France 3-0 Morocco 

The ball falls to Geyoro on the edge of the Moroccan box.

She fires a well-struck shot at goal but El Chad does very well to block it with her foot.

Perisset is then caught on the head by the arm of Redouani.

51 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Excellent footwork from Le Sommer on the edge of the Morocco box. She tries to play Diani in but a Moroccan defender blocks the pass.

At the other end, Jraidi chases down a through ball in the box but Peyraud-Magnin does very well to come out and get a hand to the ball to clear the danger.

Morocco look much more lively.

49 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Lahmari hits an early shot from outside the area.

It doesn’t trouble Peyraud-Magnin but it wasn’t far away. A brighter start for the Atlas Lionesses.

46 mins: France 3-0 Morocco 

Morocco kick things off in the second half.

They are shooting from left to right as it looks on the screen.

45 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

It’s almost time for the second half at Hindmarsh Stadium.

No changes for either side at half-time.

France will be looking for more goals, Morocco need a miracle.

Flying high in Adelaide / Tarntanya! ✈️🇫🇷@EquipedeFranceF | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/PEYUbTqSe8

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 8, 2023

Le Sommer closes down Redouani, with the ball rebounding off the French forward into the path of Diani.

Er-Rmichi runs out to try and clear the danger, catching Diani who falls and appeals for a penalty.

The flag goes up for offside, but Morocco could be in more trouble if Diani had stayed onside.

The whistle is blown for half-time. What a start by France.

Half-time: France 3-0 Morocco

France look hungry for more goals, although the intensity of their play has slowed down a little since the third goal.

Three minutes of stoppage time are added on by the referee.

45 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Bacha cuts inside from the left, running the ball along the byline and into the penalty area.

None of her teammates gambled and she ends up finding Tolletti outside of the area.

She shoots from range but the ball fizzes past the post.

42 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

It’s a quiet end to the first half. France are knocking the ball around in their own half like it’s a training match.

Chebbak looks for Tagnaout with a chipped ball over the French defence, but De Almeida does well to get across and snuff out any danger.

France did concede three goals to Panama last time out, so they need to stay alert.

40 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

France show no signs of letting up. They continue to keep possession inside the Moroccan half.

Renard plays a long ball forward looking for Diani and Dali, but there’s a bit too much on it and the ball runs out of play.

36 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Le Sommer is whacked by an ill-timed challenge from Chebbak. The referee decides against booking the Morocco captain.

The resulting free kick is well defended by Benzina. Once the ball is cleared the flag goes up for offside.

34 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

Bacha storms down the left touchline but a Moroccan defender slides in to put the ball out for a throw.

France are switching the play so quickly, finding teammates all over the pitch.

The Atlas Lionesses need the half-time break to regroup.

31 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

It’s chaos at the back for Morocco every time France come forward.

The Atlas Lionesses can’t deal with the balls that are coming into their box on an increasingly frequent basis.

Diani finds Bacha inside the Moroccan area and she takes a shot from a tight angle. The ball fires into the side netting. It was almost a fourth within half an hour.

29 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

𝙀𝙩 𝙙𝙚 𝟯 !!
Au tour de @ELS_9_FRANCE de marquer 🤩

🇫🇷3-0🇲🇦 #FRAMAR #FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/UKwUcquRAn

— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) August 8, 2023

France are firing on all cylinders.

Diani chases a long ball down the right channel, pressuring El Chad who reaches the ball first.

Diani’s perseverance at the byline pays dividends, as the ball rebounds into the path of Le Sommer who fires the ball into the bottom left corner of the net with a well struck shot off her right foot.

The Morocco players gather together to try and sort themselves out. They will be fearing a repeat of that 6-0 defeat to Germany.

23 mins: France 3-0 Morocco

A brilliant second for France!

Dali flicks the ball on for Diani down the right. The PSG forward then crosses a low ball into the box, finding Dali, who was charging forward.

The Aston Villa manager hits it first time, pinging the ball at the left post. It rebounds off the woodwork into the back of the net. A wonderful move and finish.

20 mins: France 2-0 Morocco

France are running riot at the moment.

Le Sommer whips another ball into the box from the left. Er-Rmichi comes to punch it away but Benzina is brave and gets there first with a header.

Morocco need to make sure that this game doesn’t get away from them.

17 mins: France 1-0 Morocco

Diani puts France in front with a header!

Lovely link up play on the left from France, resulting in Karchaoui running onto the ball on the edge of the area.

She delivers a perfectly weighted ball into the middle and an unmarked Diani can’t miss with a header.

15 mins: France 1-0 Morocco

Le Sommer does well to keep the ball in at the byline.

She hooks it back into play, finding Dali on the edge of the box, but she waits too long for the ball to settle under her control, and a Moroccan defender steals it away.

The ball goes back to France and is crossed back into the box, but Er-Rmichi punches it away.

Shortly after Diani takes a shot, she was off-balance and it floats over the bar.

12 mins: France 0-0 Morocco

De Almeida makes another loose pass, pinging the ball out of play for a throw-in, but the Atlas Lionesses can’t create anything from it.

For all of France’s dominance in possession, they are not causing the Morocco defence many problems.

10 mins: France 0-0 Morocco

Morocco have tightened up a lot since that opening 6-0 defeat to Germany.

They’ll need all of their defensive qualities tonight given how well France have started this match.

De Almeida gives the ball away with an errant pass, but France quickly win it back.

8 mins: France 0-0 Morocco

It’s all France so far.

Bacha delivers the ball into the box from the left. Le Sommer jumps for it on the six-yard line, but Benzina defends well to disrupt her header.

The ball falls to Dali who shoots high over the bar.

6 mins: France 0-0 Morocco

Dali gets forward down the right and puts Bacha in with a cross into the box.

The French player can’t quite control the ball and runs it out of play for a goal kick.

4 mins: France 0-0 Morocco

France start the match by passing the ball around their backline.

French coach Herve Renard is standing on the touchline in this traditional white shirt.

It’s a bright start for France, who are seeing all of the ball.

2 mins: France 0-0 Morocco

Here we go then.

France get the match under way, they’ll be attacking from left to right as it looks on your screen.

Who will secure the final quarter-final spot?

1 minute: France 0-0 Morocco

France are set to start the game in a 4-4-1-1 formation. They’ll be wearing all blue this evening.

As for Morocco, they have opted for a tradition 4-4-2 set up. They are in red shirts and green shorts for this one.

The USA’s Tori Penso is the referee.

It’s almost time for kickoff.

The French national anthem is played first as the players line up on the pitch.

It looks like another chilly evening in Adelaide and another very healthy crowd at Hindmarsh Stadium.

It’s almost time for kickoff in the final round of 16 match at this World Cup.

France are the favourites in this one, but Morocco have been full of surprises.

Expect the unexpected in Adelaide.

🇫🇷 🆚 🇲🇦 coming up!

Who will secure the last #FIFAWWC Quarter-Final spot? 💪

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 8, 2023

Les Bleues have played two Women’s World Cup matches against African sides and they have been victorious on both occasions.

Those games were against Nigeria and France won each match 1-0 in the group stages of the tournament.

They only have one previous meeting with Morocco, a 6-0 friendly victory in Casablanca in 2008.

Moroccan fans at it again at Hindmarsh stadium in Adelaide. This time they’ve set up a “little Morocco” just out the front. The country will face France tonight 🇲🇦 🇫🇷 #WWC2023 pic.twitter.com/Az9MIrTeoo

— Bernadette Clarke (@cbernadette96) August 8, 2023

The Atlas Lionesses have gone from the fringes of football in Africa to the last 16 in their debut Women’s World Cup in the space of a few years.

Read more: Morocco make Women’s World Cup debut after meteoric rise

Nouhaila Benzina starts for Morocco against France. The first hijab wearing player at the competition in history. Friendly reminder that the FFF and France have banned those who wear a hijab from playing in France.

— Mina Ibrahim (@MinaFootball) August 8, 2023

On Wednesday, EA Sports announced the addition of Nouhaila Benzina on FIFA 23 as she was previously not in the World Cup mode 🇲🇦

Her impact on the big stage has already reached the biggest simulation game in the sport.

Yeah, I did play with Morocco, of course she scored 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2wRDHhV5ym

— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) August 8, 2023

As we approach the final stages of the round of 16, here is the current lineup for the upcoming quarter-finals in this thrilling Women’s World Cup.

August 11 

• Spain vs Netherlands | 1pm (01:00 GMT) –  Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
• Japan vs Sweden | 7:30pm (7:30 GMT) – Eden Park, Auckland

August 12

• Australia vs France or Morocco |  5pm (07:00 GMT) – Lang Park, Brisbane
• England vs Colombia | 8:30pm (10:30 GMT) – Stadium Australia, Sydney

🙌🇳🇱 That feeling when you reach the next round of the #FIFAWWC.@OranjeVrouwen | #BeyondGreatness pic.twitter.com/ESuWXS6xr2

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) August 6, 2023

Morocco’s starting XI: Er-Rmichi (C), Ait El Haj, El Chad, Benzina, Redouani, Ouzraoui, Nakkach, Chebbak (C), Tagnaout, Lahmari, Jraidi.

Pedros opts for the same starting XI that beat Colombia in their final group-stage match.

France’s starting XI: Peyraud-Magnin (GK), Perisset, De Almeida, Renard (C), Karchaoui, Dali, Geyoro, Toletti, Bacha, Diani, Le Sommer.

Renard has made five changes from the side that played in the wild 6-3 win over Panama. Wendie Renard, Sakina Karchaoui, Kenza Dali, Sandie Toletti and Eugenie Le Sommer come in. Maelle Lakrar, Estelle Cascarino, Vicki Becho, Lea Le Garrec and Clara Mateo drop out.

A second-half goal by Catalina Usme was enough to put Colombia through and break Jamaica’s hearts in Tuesday’s other last-16 game.

Colombia will face England in the quarter-finals after they became the first side in this World Cup to breach Jamaica’s defence and survived some late pressure to see out a 1-0 win.

But Jamaica can be proud of their side, who have excelled, even amid a continuing dispute with their federation over pay and conditions.

Check out some of our recent Women’s World Cup coverage:

• ‘A breath of fresh air’: Nigeria’s World Cup run sparks joy back home
• Af­ter a slow buildup, a World Cup buzz grows in New Zealand
• ‘The ACL club’: The injury crisis plaguing women’s football

France

Morocco

A journalist on French TV has called the hijab “regressive” while criticising Moroccan footballer Nouhaila Benzina for wearing a headscarf at the Women’s World Cup.

Benzina became the first player to wear a hijab during a Women’s World Cup game when she sported the Muslim headscarf in Morocco’s group stage match against South Korea.

Hindmarsh Stadium, also known as Coopers Stadium, hosted four group games, and it’s now hosting one game in the round of 16.

It’s an 18,000-seat stadium on the northeastern edge of the downtown area of Adelaide, South Australia.

This game marks the stadium’s grand finale in this tournament. It’s already been the stage for some great games:

• Brazil vs Panama
• China vs Haiti
• South Korea vs Morocco
• China vs England

#DidYouKnow ⁉️

$53,000,000 was spent on Hindmarsh Stadium as it prepared to host five @FIFAWWC matches. As well as adding female changing rooms, various spectator, corporate, media, and playing facilities have been upgraded to ensure a lasting legacy after the tournament 🙌

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) August 5, 2023

Pedros began working with the Moroccan football federation in late 2020.

He has helped oversee the development of women’s football in the country and took the team to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil last year, via which they qualified for the World Cup.

Victories against South Korea and Colombia, after a 6-0 hammering by Germany in their opening game, have seen Morocco make history at the tournament – no Arab team had won a Women’s World Cup match before.

“He has brought great experience, stability and a winning mentality,” Nassim El Kerf, a journalist with the Moroccan news website Le Desk, told the AFP news agency.

“He has been a key figure in the development strategy for women’s football in Morocco and has made himself popular thanks to his results.”

Morocco’s coach Pedros, 51, is a former France international and said he was looking forward to taking on the country of his birth when the two teams face off in the last 16 in Adelaide.

“I am French but my heart is with Morocco,” Pedros told reporters on Monday. “It’s been three years since we’ve been working hard to get to these incredible objectives … It’s not a problem for me to win against France.

“I will do everything for us to qualify for the quarter-finals.”

Pedros won consecutive Champions League titles as manager of Olympique Lyonnais in 2019 and 2020. Six members of France’s World Cup squad played under him at Lyon, including captain Wendie Renard and all-time top scorer Eugenie Le Sommer.

“A few of us are binational, and some of us play in France, so we know the players well,” said defender Nesryne El Chad, one of six players in the Morocco squad plying their trade in France. “This match will be special for us.”

Pedro says that the team is ready to give its best.

“Of course, if we had been eliminated with six points, it would still have been fantastic for us. But we went further,” he said. “Football is incredible, and you can never know what’s going to happen.”

حصة تدريبية للمنتخب الوطني النسوي إستعدادا لمباراة فرنسا 🇫🇷

Our National Women's Team in preparation mode for the France game#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #OneGameOneFamily #AtlasLionesses pic.twitter.com/fcdtoAC8wz

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) August 4, 2023

The winner of Tuesday’s knockout game will face either Australia or Denmark in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Brisbane.

Renard, a longtime French player who once famously worked as a cleaner to fund his budding managerial career, also coached at the men’s tournament in Qatar in 2022. He was hired by France only in late March after Corinne Diacre was sacked in the wake of a player revolt.

The French came fourth in 2011 and were eliminated in the quarter-finals in 2015 and 2019, but are among the favourites this year after going undefeated to top Group F, capped with a dramatic 6-3 win over a feisty Panama side.

The fifth-ranked squad have watched as heavyweights USA, Germany, Brazil and Canada have all been unceremoniously dumped from an expanded 32-nation World Cup that is enjoying more parity than ever.

Aston Villa midfielder Kenza Dali said France feel confident amid the turmoil.

“We have a good group dynamic, so this is very important when we are competing,” the 32-year-old said.

“It’s important to play each game as if it was your last game, but making sure that this is not your last game. So yes, different things are happening during this World Cup, but we need to focus on ourselves and not think that the way things have happened for us have been easier than it was for others.”

💪 Dernier entraînement avant notre 8e de finale face au Maroc 🇲🇦#FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/xSRPm14spo

— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) August 7, 2023

Translation: Last training before our round of 16 against Morocco.

France coach Herve Renard has warned his team against taking Morocco lightly as they face one of the surprise packages of the Women’s World Cup.

“Morocco are not here by chance. This is a match of the same calibre as our game against Brazil.”

“We respect them but we are focused on ourselves,” added Renard.

“There is a lot of experience in this France team. I am here to guide them as well as I possibly can but I get the feeling that they would do just fine on their own if I were not here.”

The match sees Renard pit his wits against fellow Frenchman Reynald Pedros, a former France international as a player who has been in charge of Morocco since 2020.

“There will be just one French coach left in the quarter-finals,” Renard said. “I hope it will be me.”

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the round-of-16 clash between France and Morocco in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

France, which reached the semi-finals of last year’s European Championship, are trying to reach the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive Women’s World Cup. Les Blues have lost just one of their last 11 internationals.

Morocco, the first Arab nation to compete at the tournament, were thrashed 6-0 by Germany in the opener, but 1-0 upsets of higher-ranked South Korea and Colombia propelled them into the last 16.

Morocco’s French coach Reynald Pedros said after the Colombia game that he had the advantage of knowing the France team “perfectly”. But beating France, ranked fifth in the world, would be a remarkable achievement for 72nd-ranked Morocco.

“This round of 16 is against an amazing opponent,” Pedros said. “We have to go up a notch with the game that we have done against Colombia, which was already a very high level for us.”

The match kicks off at 9pm local time (11:00 GMT) at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia.

يواصل المنتخب الوطني النسوي استعداداته لمباراة فرنسا 🇫🇷

A highly productive training session for our Lionesses 💯#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #OneGameOneFamily #AtlasLionesses pic.twitter.com/0TAkivRmdh

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) August 5, 2023