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France secured a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Thursday to earn a place in the FIFA World Cup semifinals, with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele proving enough to send Les Bleus into the final four.

Mbappe finally broke the deadlock in the 60th minute, curling a superb effort beyond Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou after France had dominated much of the contest. Just six minutes later, Dembele extended the lead, finishing confidently to put the result beyond doubt.

The victory sees the 2018 world champions advance to a semifinal clash against either Spain or Belgium. That match is scheduled to take place in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.

Morocco, the reigning African champions, entered the game hoping to pull off another upset after an impressive tournament run. However, Didier Deschamps' side controlled possession and created the better opportunities throughout the match.

France had a golden chance to open the scoring before halftime when Mbappe earned a penalty after being fouled by Noussair Mazraoui. Following a lengthy VAR review, the French captain stepped up from the spot, but Bounou guessed correctly and kept the score level with an excellent save.

Despite Morocco's determined defending during the opening half, France continued to apply pressure after the break. Their persistence was rewarded on the hour when Mbappe found space outside the penalty area and bent a precise right-footed strike into the net.

Dembele sealed the victory in the 66th minute after carrying the ball forward from midfield before calmly placing a low shot into the bottom corner.

Morocco struggled to threaten France's defense for most of the evening. Their first effort on target did not arrive until the 83rd minute, when Azzedine Ounahi's free kick forced goalkeeper Mike Maignan into a comfortable save.

France now moves one step closer to another World Cup final appearance, while Morocco's memorable campaign comes to an end after another determined display against one of the tournament favorites.