History created! The match was perceived as Portugal's attack against Morocco's defense, like the unstoppable force against an immovable object. Well, the object didn't budge. Morocco are into the semifinals now.
More than 400 million people, occupying 24 percent landmass on earth, Morocco, the sole representative of the African continent beat a star-studded Portugal to make their way into the semifinals. They became the only African team to get past the quarterfinals in the FIFA World Cup history.
Legendary Cristiano Ronaldo in tears. It's likely an end of his chances of ever winning soccer’s biggest prize. Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute to continue Morocco’s improbable run that has generated an outpouring of pride in the Arab world during the first World Cup to be staged in the Middle East.
Read: FIFA World Cup: England vs France - all you need to know
The 37-year-old Ronaldo, one of soccer’s greatest players, didn’t start for the second straight game but came on as a substitute in the 51st minute and missed a chance to equalize in stoppage time. The five-time world player of the year is set to finish his career without capturing the World Cup or ever getting to the final. He headed right off the field after the final whistle and was crying as he walked down the tunnel. Morocco will play either France or England in the semifinals.
It is a seminal moment in World Cup history, with an African nation finally advancing to the levels typically only reached by European or South American teams. Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) all reached the quarterfinals but got no further.
And off the field, this Morocco squad — coached by French-born Walid Regragui and containing 14 players born abroad — is uniting the Arab world, inspiring displays in Arab identity from fans in different countries.
There’s no reason why Morocco cannot go all the way to the title, either, after topping a group that included second-ranked Belgium and fellow semifinalist Croatia and now taking down two of Europe’s heavyweights in Spain — after a penalty shootout in the round of 16 — and Portugal in the quarterfinals.
Morocco’s defense has yet to concede a goal by an opposition player at this year’s World Cup — the only one it has allowed was an own-goal — and it stifled a Portugal team which beat Switzerland 6-1 in the last 16 to thrust itself among the favorites.
In a game played to the backdrop of non-stop whistles and jeers by Morocco’s passionate fans, the team relied almost exclusively on counterattacks and scored from one of them. A cross was swung in from the left and En-Nesyri leapt between Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa and defender Ruben Dias to head into the empty net.
Ronaldo, who will be 41 by the time of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, had been looking to reach the semifinals for only the second time after 2006. Try as he might, he barely got a touch of the ball until stoppage time when he got in behind Morocco’s defense off a long ball forward. His low shot was saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who hadn’t had too much to do before that point.
Substitute Walid Cheddira was shown a red card for Morocco in stoppage time for collecting a second yellow card in as many minutes. Portugal center back Pepe then headed wide from inside the six-yard box. Ronaldo fell to his knees in dejection. While Lionel Messi will be in the semifinals with Argentina, the other soccer great of this generation won’t be. (Inputs from AP)
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-- Going the match stats overall, possession and passes but they have somehow been able to capitalise on it. Portugal now features Ronaldo and Cancelo in their side.
Here's what happened until the half time:
Morocco edged closer to becoming the first African nation to qualify for the last four after leading Portugal 1-0 at the end of the first half in the quarterfinal of the World Cup at the Al Thumama stadium on Saturday. A resilient Morocco found the back of the net through Youssef El-Nesyri in the 42nd minute. The forward went airborne and headed the cross from Attiyat Allah to give his side the advantage.
Morocco took the lead thanks to a stunning Nesyri header, and are only 45 minutes away from making history. Portugal had a couple of chances and Bruno Fernandes almost equalized in the dying minutes of the half but his kick hit the crossbar.
Portugal's penalty claim was disallowed shortly after Morocco found the lead. The game sprang to life in the closing five minutes of the first half, and everything is on the line in the second half. The sides met only for the third time with Morocco edging Portugal in the 1986 World Cup while the European side took the honours in the second meeting through Cristiano Ronaldo's goal in the 2018 edition.
Portugal started the game by keeping the ball in the Moroccan half and asserting dominance right from the beginning but Morocco showed resilience in defence and looked to make the most of their attacking chances.The European side were relentless in their attack but the African nation was up to the task as they forged a solid defensive line to stop the Portuguese wave of attack.
Hakim Ziyech, Morocco's most impressive player in the tournament, was once again a live wire in the field as he created chances for his team. Portugal started without their talismanic striker Ronaldo and it will be interesting to see if he is brought onto the field as he was the difference between the two sides in their previous meeting. The forward will be itching to prove his mettle after having been left out of the starting eleven.
The stadium is engulfed with a sea of red and green as both the colours feature on the jerseys of Portugal and Morocco. An electric second half is on the cards for football lovers all around the globe.
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It's half time and Morocco looks like a superior team with Portugal camp panicking. 1-0, reads the scoreline.
GOAL!
Morocco might be set out to accomplish what no African country has. First goal of the match. En-Nesyri takes his country ahead with a header. It's 1-0 score in favour of Morocco.
-- MAR vs POR 0-0 so far and we are almost into half hour of the game. Portugal have had more possession than Morocco and have attacked more, but the Atlas Lions are blessed with a defense system that has remained impenetrable so far in the tournament. It's the attack vs defence and no credit in the score so far. Like the Joker said in Batman: "This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object."
-- Goncalo Ramos with a hat-trick of goals in the last match features in the team. Ronaldo has been benched yet again.
Playing XI:
- Morocco XI: Bounou, Hakimi, El Yamiq, Saiss, Attiat-Allah, Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah, Ziyech, Boufal, En-Nesyri.
- Portugal XI: Costa, Dalot, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro, Otavio, Neves, Silva, Fernandes, Felix, Ramos.
Some context into the story:
Stadium: Al-Thumama Stadium
Head-to-Head: The two teams have faced twice each other, and that too only in the FIFA World Cup tournaments. The contests took place at the group stages with both winning one match each. In 1986, Morocco defeated Portugal 3-1 with the latest match being in 2018 when the latter with the help of Cristiano Ronaldo's goal in the fourth minute of the match defeated Morocco 1-0.
Last five matches:
Morocco: Riding on spectacular form, Morocco are yet to lose in their last five games with their last drubbing coming from Portugal back in 2018.
Portugal: Portugal, meanwhile, have had fewer taste of success and they have lost two encounters in their last five.
Some more fodder for Soccer enthusiasts
Portugal's goals in FIFA World Cup: 12 in 4 matches
Morocco's goals in FIFA World Cup: 4 goals in 4 contests
(Trivia: Morocco's four goals in as many matches is the lowest record for the team that has qualified for quarterfinals.)
It may appear that Morocco have an attacking record that may not inspire confidence among fans but they have stood out in defending their goal post by conceding just one goal in 4 games.
