Goals from Fouad Zahouani, Gessime Yassine, and an own goal by Joshua Liam Wynder sealed the win for the North Africans in a fiercely contested match at the Estadio El Teniente in Rancagua.
After their dominant 3-0 victory over Italy in the Round of 16, Marko Mitrovic’s USA side entered the clash brimming with confidence.
However, it was the Africans who struck first in the four-goal thriller, taking the lead in the 30th minute through Fouad Zahouani.
Saad El Haddad burst down the left flank and delivered a teasing cross to the back post for Othmane Maamma. Although Maamma’s initial effort was saved, his clever flick on the rebound found the 19-year-old, who calmly tapped home to put Morocco ahead.
The North Americans responded strongly and were handed a golden opportunity to draw level just before halftime when Nolan Norris was brought down in the box by Ali Maamar.
After a lengthy VAR review, Cole Campbell stepped up and confidently converted the resulting penalty to restore parity.
The Young Atlas Lions regained the lead in the 67th minute when defender Joshua Wynder inadvertently turned Yassir Zabiri’s deflected shot into his own net.
Gessime Yassine then sealed the victory in the final minutes, finishing off a swift counterattack with just three minutes left on the clock.
With that victory, Morocco advanced to the semi-finals for the first time in 20 years. They will now face France, who defeated Norway, for a place in the final.
"We know very well that we can do damage to any team, because we’ve got quality players up front,” coach Mohamed Ouahbi said after the match.
“And above all, what really makes the difference is that our defenders are very solid, and the attacking players also do the defensive work.
“So, they went out there and earned this qualification. They’re in the process of writing their own story. This generation truly deserves it, because it’s an absolute pleasure to work with them."