France went into the competition as favourites in many people’s eyes and have shown why on the pitch with a series of ominous performances, which continued in Boston on Thursday night.

Morocco had been impressive themselves on their way to the quarter-finals, but there was to be no repeat of their last-four appearance at the previous World Cup, as their run was halted by Les Bleus once again.

As has often been the case at this tournament, Gusto started among the substitutes for France, before coming off the bench to replace Jules Kounde. By that time his team were 2-0 up and he helped the French see out the victory in relative comfort.

They had to wait for their lead, though, as Kylian Mbappe spurned a great chance when France were awarded a first-half penalty, his uncharacteristically tame effort from the spot saved comfortably by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

That meant it remained goalless until the hour mark, when France’s feared attack sprung into life. It was Mbappe who made amends for that earlier miss by curling a fine effort inside the right-hand post to break the deadlock, getting his eighth goal of the tournament to pull level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race.

Six minutes later it was two, Ousmane Dembele running at the Morocco defence to put them on the back foot before striking low into the net, this time Bounou unable to keep the shot out despite getting a hand to it.

From there, France’s progress to the semis never looked in doubt. For the second World Cup in a row, Morocco exited at the hands of Les Bleus after a 2-0 defeat.

France will next take on the winner of the quarter-final between Spain and Belgium in Dallas at 8pm UK time on Tuesday 14 July, hoping to secure their progress to a second consecutive World Cup final.