Morocco came the first African country to reach a World Cup semi-final, putting an end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal’s intentions.
Youssef En- Nesyri scored the game-winning thing in the first half, jumping loftiest to beat goalkeeper Diogo Costa to the ball and heading in to shoot Al Thumama Stadium into delirium. The sympathizers of the north African platoon filled the maturity of the arena as they joyfully celebrated their breakthrough moment on the global stage.
Ronaldo came off the bench in the 50th nanosecond, equaling the men’s all-time appearance record of 196 in transnational matches, still, he was unfit to get his platoon back into the game.
Morocco, who’ll face either England or France in the quarterfinals, were happy to play on the counter and took the lead shortly before halftime when En- Nesyri headed in from Yahya Attiyat- cross.
Just Twinkles latterly, Portugal captain Bruno Fernandes came agonizingly close to equalizing, but his magnific solo trouble hit the bar. Morocco sat back for the wholeness of the alternate half after being devastated by injuries, and Yassine Bounou consummately sloped over Joao Felix’s shot the closest they got to equalizing.
Morocco forward Walid Cheddira was transferred off in the eighth nanosecond of redundant time for an alternate unheroic card, but Portugal could not score an equaliser, and their last-four intentions were destroyed.
Three African brigades had preliminarily reached this stage of the World Cup, but none had progressed any further. Until now. Moroccan players and sympathizers saluted after En-title Nesyri’s 42 twinkles proved decisive. suckers booed and mocked at every pass made by the Portuguese players, and suddenly the knockabout area behind the thing sounded to stink the ball into the net.
Walid Regragui’s platoon was without West Ham’s Nayef Aguerd, Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui, and captain Romain Saiss, who was injured beforehand in the alternate half.
Still, they defended tenaciously and tortured Portugal to maintain their seventh clean distance in eight games under their new director, and have only surrendered formerly in this event.
Morocco is a tricky prospect, and they will give a gruelling task to whoever they meet in the final four on Wednesday, prompted by a prejudiced crowd in Doha. Beforehand on, goalkeeper Bounou, who was earning his 50th appearance, knocked down a title from Felix, and a veered shot sailed slightly once.
Morocco had had more chances on the break, but En- Nesyri blasted two free heads wide and Sofiane Boufal’s curler flew straight at Costa.
Fernando Santos, hopeless for an equaliser, threw on Ronaldo beforehand in the alternate half, but the 37- time-old, who equalled Kuwait forward Bader Al- transnational Mutawa’s caps record, plodded to make an effect.
After seeing rival Lionel Messi reach the World Cup semi-finals on Friday, Ronaldo was unfit to negotiate the same with his platoon on what was likely his final World Cup appearance, touring down the lair in gashes at full-time as his dream came to an end.
