Ibtissam Jraïdi scored twice and Kenza Chapelle added a late third as hosts Morocco downed Mali 3-1 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat on Friday to set up a Women's Africa Cup of Nations semifinal against either Algeria or Ghana.
Jraïdi was picked out by the lively Sakina Ouzraoui during the opening exchanges of the contest, firing home into the left-hand corner of Fatoumata Karentao's net in the seventh minute after the Mali goalkeeper misread the teasing cross and found herself exposed.
She added a second 11 minutes from time, converting a fierce penalty into the roof of the net after Kani Konte had clumsily chopped down the bright Sanaa Mssoudy in the area as Mali increasingly pushed players forward in search of an equaliser.
Morocco added a bizarre third in the 89th minute, as Chapelle, on the edge of the box, swung forward a speculative cross. The lofted ball initially appeared to be too close to keeper Karentao, but the USFAS Bamako stopper had an inexplicable momentary lapse and allowed the routine catch to slip through her grasp.
There was time for Aïssata Traoré to place a lovely penalty beyond Khadija Er-Rmichi's grasp in stoppage time, although it was little more than a consolation goal.
Les Aiglonnes had started brightly, with Agueissa Diarra sending a close-range header over following Aissata Traore's cross during the opening seconds, but it was Morocco who went closest to extending their advantage after taking an early lead.
Ghizlane Chebbak, influential during the first half, failed to add to her four-goal haul from the group stage after being played in by Jraïdi on 21 minutes, with Ouzraoui herself failing to find her range after fine work from the Atlas Lionesses' skipper.
Despite not registering an equaliser, Mali continued to pose a threat, notably from set pieces, where Morocco and their suspect goalkeeper Er-Rmichi looked jittery under pressure.
Ouzraoui began to impose herself after the break, twice going close inside the first five minutes of the half as Chebbak and Jraïdi's creativity proved too much for the Mali backline.
However, it wasn't all one-way traffic, with the West Africans forcing a save from Er-Rmichi on the hour mark when Fatoumata Diarra caught sight of the hosts' goal.
By the time of Kante's bungling foul after being duped by Mssoudy in the box, Mali were increasingly committing players to attack as Morocco sought to hurt them on the counter. It was a dynamic that played to the hosts' advantage, as Ouzraoui and Mssoudy increasingly sought to stretch Mali with their running and guile in wide areas.
In the seventh minute of stoppage time, Mali pulled one back from the spot through Traore, after Chebbak had blocked a powerful point-blank shot from Djenaba Baradji in the box.
The late goal did little to dampen the festive mood in Rabat, as Jorge Vilda's Morocco advance to a semifinal meeting with either Algeria or Ghana at the same venue on Tuesday.