World Cup last eight are set: France v Morocco, a 2022 rematch, opens the quarterfinals

Not just a revenge story

At the 2022 semifinal in Qatar, France beat Morocco 2-0 and ended the run of the first African and Arab side ever to reach a World Cup's last four. That night Morocco fell behind inside five minutes, yet held 60% of the ball and hit the woodwork; only one of their shots was on target, and France's second goal 11 minutes from time settled it. This is a rematch against the side that came up just short.

But this is close to a different Morocco. Only four of the eleven who started that semifinal started against Canada in this year's round of 16, and just nine of the 2022 squad remain. The bench has changed too: Walid Regragui, who led Morocco in Qatar, left this year, and Mohamed Ouahbi took over as head coach in March. Morocco drew with Brazil in the group and beat Haiti and Scotland to advance, edged the Netherlands in a round-of-32 shootout after a stoppage-time equaliser, then beat co-host Canada 3-0 in the last 16 — but lost forward Ismael Saibari to a hamstring injury in that game. The defensive spine of goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and right-back Achraf Hakimi is intact.

France, by contrast, have won all five matches and scored 13 goals. They opened 3-1 against Senegal, then saw off Iraq and a much-changed Norway to top the group, beat Sweden in the round of 32, and ground out a late penalty against a stubborn Paraguay in the last 16. Kylian Mbappe has seven goals, and a front line of Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele is among the tournament's best. Whether Morocco can bog the game down the way Paraguay did, and blunt France's attack, is the question.

From Japan's side

Japan are already out, beaten 2-1 by Brazil in the round of 32. And Brazil, the team that ended Japan's tournament, are gone too, losing 2-1 to Norway in the last 16. Of the eight teams left, only Morocco come from outside Europe and South America. The side that shared the 2022 spotlight with Japan is the last outsider standing.

The quarterfinals in Japan time

Four matches remain in this round. In Japan time: France v Morocco on Friday July 10 at 5:00 (Foxborough); Spain v Belgium on Saturday July 11 at 4:00 (Los Angeles); Norway v England on Sunday July 12 at 6:00 (Miami); Argentina v Switzerland the same day at 10:00 (Kansas City). The scoring race is a subplot: Lionel Messi leads on eight after his goal against Egypt, with Mbappe and Erling Haaland on seven and Harry Kane on six — which makes Norway v England a direct Haaland-Kane duel. Defending champions Argentina came from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2, though a VAR call that wiped out an Egypt goal has drawn questions about fairness. Their opponents Switzerland are in their first quarterfinal since 1954, and reached it by winning a World Cup shootout for the first time.