Sometimes, time is a player’s biggest enemy. Too much time, he broods, he doubts and misses. Hard-pressed for time, the instincts take over and the muscle memory kicks in. The tantrums of time don’t spare the most luminescent footballers in the world. In a day’s time, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe both failed to beat the goalkeeper from 12 yards. Yet, with guilt gnawing like mites, time running out, legs tiring, they produced goals from more improbable directions in open play. Mbappe’s goal that soothed the French nerves and broke Morocco’s belief was a stunning blend of timing and precision, ruthlessness and opportunism. France would win 2-0 to be in the semi-final. For his goal, Mbappe had just two seconds to decide. His back was facing the goal, but he manufactured a pocket of space for him to take a sharp U-turn, took a velcro-touch to take the ball away from the defenders, just lifted his right leg and threaded the ball through the narrow space between Issa Diop and Noussair Mazraoui. The ball still had …