The cacophony of drum beats and chants fell silent at the final whistle. Morocco lost the second semi-final 2-0 to defending champions France at the Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday.

The first African team to play in a World Cup semifinal, Morocco with a little bit of smartness in front of goal might have pinned down France. But it was not to be their day. Olivier Giroud hugged Morocco coach Walid Regragui, his former club mate, while Kylian Mbappe consoled Achraf Hakimi.

France ensured that the African-Arab dream of playing in a World Cup final did not progress in Doha. An early goal by Theo Hernandez and a late one from Randal Kolo Muani ended the dream run.

It took just five minutes for Hernandez to beat Yassine Bounou.

Jawad El Yamiq could not intercept Rafael Varane’s forward pass to Antoine Griezmann who strode into the Morocco box and cut it back for Mbappe. After Mbappe’s attempts were blocked, the ball fell to Hernandez, who acrobatically volleyed it home. This was the first time Moroccan goalkeeper Bounou had conceded to an opposition player in this World Cup.

The second came in the 79th minute when substitute Muani, who came in place of Ousmane Dembele, had a simple tap-in to score his maiden international goal with his first touch. It was also the second quickest by a substitute (44 seconds).

Morocco tried everythingto score but somehow the balljust didn’t go in. El Yamiq’s bicycle kick from inside the penalty box hit the post after taking a faint deflection off HugoLloris’s gloves, and substitute Abderrazak Hamdallah took along time inside the box.

France now meet Argentina in the final and a victory on Sunday at the Lusail Stadium will make Les Bleus the first team to retain the World Cup after Brazil did it 60 years ago.

In the end, the Moroccoplayers and support staff knelt in front of their fans. The roar was back for one last time. They will be at the Khalifa Stadium on Saturday to play Croatia for a third-place finish.