Morocco has sacked Portugal after a long tension in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
A head of Youssef En-Nesyri (42e), higher than Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa and defender Ruben Dias, pushed Morocco, playing the first quarter-final in its history, into the last four of the World Cup.
The rest of the Moroccan game was heroic. Rolled up, united, they withstood the onslaught, as did their brilliant goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Cristiano Ronaldo (joined the 51eequaling the world record for the number of caps with 196) and Co.
A heroic Morocco in the image of its goalkeeper
Portugal fell into the same trap Morocco set for Spain in the round of 16. With a low and compact defensive block, the Moroccans hardly ever worried about a much too timid Portugal. On the Portuguese side we can only note two times, both coming from Joao Felix (3rd, 31st). But the Atlas Lions, who played against, cooled Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammates just before the break. Attiyat-Allah crosses to the penalty spot and En-Nesyri flies off beating Dias and Costa to poke his head! 1-0 for the Moroccans at halftime!
The second half will be very similar to the first with a united Moroccan formation and an uninspired Portugal. If Fernando Santos’ men encountered the Moroccan defense, they also encountered goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (83rd, 90 + 1st). The Moroccans finished after the exclusion of Chedarri (94th) but almost hit the nail on the head at the very last moment with a great chance from Aboukhlal, unfortunately not conclusive.
After two victorious quarter-finals in the World Cup, against North Korea in 1966 (5-3) and against England in 2006 (0-0 ap, 3-1 pen), Portugal relented and fell from high. After Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010), Africa has the first semi-finalist in its history. Morocco is now waiting for the winner of the match between France and England.
