Theo Hernandez celebrates after putting France ahead in their World Cup semi-final match against Morocco. Photo: Reuters

The Atlas Lions of Morocco were just one win away from becoming the first team from outside of Europe and South America to progress to the final of the World Cup but that dream failed to come true on Wednesday night as France became the first World Cup holders in 24 years to reach the final as they brought Morocco’s magical journey to an end with a 2-0 semi-final win at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Les Bleus were vastly outnumbered in support at the match venue and faced a wave of attacks from a Morocco side who never gave up the ghost, but goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani either side of the break sent France through to Sunday’s final showdown against Argentina.

Morocco miraculously managed to recover all three of Romain Saiss, Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui from their respective injuries in time for the semi-final, but by the 20-minute mark, two of them had already been replaced.

Aguerd was a last-minute withdrawal from the first XI to be replaced by Achraf Dari, who was part of a five-man Morocco defence to concede their first World Cup goal to an opposing player after just five minutes.

Dari did well to block a Kylian Mbappe effort, but the ball bounced kindly for Hernandez, who gave the reigning champions an early lead with an acrobatic effort from a tight angle.

Injury was literally added to insult for Morocco once again, as Saiss was beaten by Olivier Giroud for pace in the 17th minute and was thankful to see the 36-year-old’s effort strike the post, but the Besiktas man was moving gingerly and had to come off on the 21-minute mark.

Saiss’s withdrawal sparked a change in formation to a back-four for the Atlas Lions, who enjoyed their fair share of gilt-edged opportunities, with Azzedine Ounahi forcing Hugo Lloris into a low save at full stretch and Jawad El Yamiq almost outdoing Hernandez’s goal with an overhead kick of his own following a corner, but Lloris was up to the task again.

At the other end, El Yamiq did well to clear a goal-bound effort from Mbappe away in the 36th minute before the ball was pinged back in for Giroud, who could only fire wide on the turn.

Didier Deschamps’ men survived a late wave of Hakim Ziyech set pieces to get to half time with their 1-0 lead intact, but Morocco were not waving the white flag by any stretch.

The last standing member of the injured triumvirate Mazraoui joined Saiss and Aguerd back on the bench for the second half, as Yahia Attiyat Allah – who provided the assist for Youssef En-Nesyri’s winner against Portugal in the quarter-finals – came on in his place.

Walid Regragui’s defensive risks did not work out as intended, but his side started the second half as they ended the first, piling the pressure on a France side who could barely get out of their own half.

The golden final ball just did not arrive for Morocco, though, and it took until the 74th minute for another half-chance to arrive for either team, but Youssouf Fofana could only find the side netting after Marcus Thuram’s cutback.

Thuram was causing problems on the left, but it was another France substitute who would double France’s advantage just 44 seconds after coming on, as Mbappe darted through a sea of red shirts inside the area before his deflected shot fell into the path of Kolo Muani, who had the simple job of crashing home from a yard out with his first touch of the match.

Six minutes were added on as Regragui’s side tried to do the unthinkable, and the fourth minute of injury time brought an almighty goalmouth scramble in the France box, but Jules Kounde did brilliantly to block Ounahi’s half-volley on the line.

Both sets of players dropped to the turf for different reasons at the full time whistle as France now try to become only the third team after Brazil and Italy to win successive World Cups, while Morocco face Croatia for the consolation prize of third place on Saturday.