World Cup Nights: the quarter-finals kick off tonight with France-Morocco, a 2022 rematch. And Egypt take FIFA to task

The World Cup wakes from its only rest day. Nothing to recap overnight — there were no games on Wednesday — but tonight it gets serious: in Boston the quarter-finals open with France-Morocco, a remake of the 2022 semi-final. On one side, Mbappe's flying France (five wins from five, 14 goals scored); on the other, a Morocco still making history but now without the injured Saibari. Off the pitch, the Egypt storm breaks: a formal complaint to FIFA over the officiating in the 3-2 defeat to Argentina. Four quarter-finals in four nights: here we go.

First, the snapshot of the day: there was no football overnight. The quarter-final bracket was completed by Argentina's miracle comeback against Egypt (3-2 in the closing minutes) and Switzerland's penalty-shootout win over Colombia, after which the World Cup allowed itself the single pause of this relentless tournament on Wednesday. From tonight, though, we enter the phase where every mistake is final: eight teams left, four one-off ties, no second chances.

But the story of the day comes from the dressing rooms and FIFA's offices. Egypt are not letting it go: the federation (EFA) has lodged a formal complaint against French referee Francois Letexier and his team, alleging 'serious refereeing mistakes' and 'double standards' in the defeat to Argentina. President Hany Abo Rida has gone as far as demanding the exclusion of the entire officiating crew from the rest of the World Cup, speaking openly of 'discrimination.' In the crosshairs: the goal chalked off the Pharaohs for a foul in the build-up (Marwan Attia's shirt-pull and stamp) and a penalty claim waved away shortly before Enzo Fernandez's 3-2. On the injury front, two heavy blows heading into the quarters: Belgium have lost Amadou Onana (ruptured cruciate) and Morocco must do without Ismael Saibari tonight, sidelined by a muscle problem — one of the faces of the tournament, on target in all three group games.

So to Boston, tonight at 22:00 Italian time: France-Morocco carries a chunk of recent history. It is the rematch of the 2022 semi-final, when the Bleus won 2-0 and ended the dream of the first African side to climb so high. This time France arrive with a flawless run — five wins from five, 14 goals scored and just two conceded — and with Kylian Mbappe already on seven goals, firmly in the hunt for the tournament's top-scorer prize, backed by Dembele, Olise and Barcola. But beware Regragui's Morocco, unbeaten and fresh from a comprehensive 3-0 win over Canada: they are the first African nation to reach the quarters at back-to-back World Cups, and they have developed a taste for these nights. The winner flies to a semi-final in Dallas on July 14, against the winner of Spain-Belgium.

The other three quarter-finals complete a heart-stopping weekend. On Friday at 21:00 (Italian time) comes the heavyweight tie Spain-Belgium in Los Angeles, with the Red Devils shorn of Onana. On Saturday at 23:00 Norway-England in Miami pits the Scandinavian surprise package against the Three Lions; then, in the Italian small hours between Saturday and Sunday (02:00, Kansas City), Argentina-Switzerland closes the set: Messi and company against the Swiss fairytale. From here to the final on July 19, every night counts double.

On we go, one night at a time. Tonight the football is back: see you tomorrow at dawn with the verdict from Boston.

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