Morocco make World Cup history by beating Portugal in quarter-finals
Morocco have made history by becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals after beating Portugal 1-0 at the Al Thumama Stadium.
Youssef En-Nesyri’s first half header was enough to see Walid Regragui’s side through, and to send Cristiano Ronaldo and co. home from Qatar.
The Atlas Lions once again showcased their incredible defensive solidity, despite having a myriad of injuries to deal with, especially in their back four.
Portugal were restricted to very few chances throughout the 90 minutes and even the introduction of Ronaldo early in the second half did little to change the match.
In what has been a World Cup for the underdogs, Morocco now join Croatia as two brilliant dark horses to reach the last four.
There was big news in both camps when the team news was announced, as Ronaldo was named on the bench for the second game running, following his omission against Switzerland in the last 16.
Morocco were also without key defensive duo Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui, but Romain Saiss, who was also in the wars against Spain, was deemed fit enough to start.
Jawad El Yamiq and Yahia Attiyat Allah came into the side in defence, and were heroic and stout in keeping out Portugal’s superstars in attack.
Attiyat Allah was also very prominent in an attacking sense, as it was his cross that En-Nesyri met ahead of Ruben Dias and goalkeeper Diogo Costa to nod Morocco into the lead late in the first half.
It was a mostly cagey first half as Joao Felix had three half chances, but that goal blew the game wide open for the remaining few minutes of the first 45.
Bruno Fernandes’s audacious effort left Yassine Bounou stranded as the ball bounced back out off the crossbar, but the adventurous Attiyat Allah’s lung busting run on the break saw him skew his effort wide while off balance with the goal at his mercy.
Costa looked shaky again in goal for Portugal early in the second half, as he was fortunate to see the ball bounce wide after he palmed Hakim Ziyech’s dangerous free kick right at El Yamiq at close range.
From there on, Morocco were restricted to just counter-attacking opportunities, but they still arguably had the better chances, as substitutes Walid Cheddira and Zakaria Aboukhlal both should have scored, but it did not matter as Portugal failed to breach that superb Morocco rearguard.
Morocco had to hang on with 10 men after Cheddira was sent off following two yellow cards in two minutes in stoppage time, but Portugal had just one more chance, and it was their best of the game, with Pepe heading wide from inside the six-yard box seven minutes into injury time.
Following the full-time whistle, there was disbelief and delirium among the Moroccan support and bench, while Ronaldo left the pitch in tears, with this likely to be his final chance to win an elusive World Cup now gone.
The winners of the quarter-final involving England and France await for Morocco in Wednesday’s semi-final at the Al Bayt Stadium, and nothing is impossible for this history-making squad.
Belgium, Spain and Portugal are among the sides they have now conquered, so Regragui’s men will fear nobody.
For Portugal, Fernando Santos’s job will be in serious jeopardy, as their Euro 2016 winning manager has underperformed since bringing home that trophy in France six years ago, and for a squad with as much quality as they have, more was expected.
Two round of 16 exits in 2018 and 2020, and now a quarter-final defeat to a very unfancied side may spell the end of Santos’s time in charge.
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