‘It was a handball’ - Morocco coach questions France's opening goal following World Cup exit

The Atlas Lions' impressive tournament journey came to an end with a 2-0 defeat to France in Boston. 

Hopes were high for Morocco, especially after goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved a first-half penalty from Mbappe. 

However, the French superstar eventually broke the deadlock in the 60th minute. Ousmane Dembele added a second goal just six minutes later, securing a comfortable victory for the European powerhouse.

Ouahbi believes a handball in the lead-up to Kylian Mbappe's goal unfairly shifted the momentum of the crucial knockout match.

Speaking after the match, Ouahbi questioned the decision by referee Facundo Tello to allow France's first goal. 

The Moroccan coach argued that French midfielder Adrien Rabiot handled the ball just before Mbappe gained possession and scored.

"The goal came from a... contested ball, and some players stopped because they saw a handball," Ouahbi told beIN Sports. "It was a handball. I don't know if it should have been called or not, I don't know."

With their World Cup campaign over, Morocco will now focus on building squad depth to better handle future fitness and injury challenges. 

Meanwhile, France advances to a semi-final clash in Dallas against either Spain or Belgium, as Mbappe continues his pursuit of Lionel Messi's all-time World Cup scoring record.