Match ends, Morocco 1, Portugal 0.
MoroccoMorocco1PortugalPortugal0
Morocco became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final and ended the hopes of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
Striker Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal in the first half, leaping highest to beat goalkeeper Diogo Costa to the ball and heading in to spark pandemonium at Al Thumama Stadium.
The north African side's supporters populated most of the venue and joyously celebrated their breakthrough moment on the global stage.
Ronaldo came off the bench in the 50th minute to equal the men's all-time appearance record of 196 in international matches, but he could not drag his side back into the contest.
Morocco, who will face England or France in the last four, were happy to play on the counter and grabbed the opener just before the break when En-Nesyri headed in from Yahya Attiyat-Allah's cross.
Portugal skipper Bruno Fernandes came agonisingly close to levelling just minutes later but a brilliant individual effort struck the crossbar.
Decimated by injuries, Morocco sat back for the majority of the second half and Yassine Bounou brilliantly tipped over Joao Felix's drive - the closest they came to an equaliser.
Morocco striker Walid Cheddira was sent off for a second yellow card in eight minutes of additional time but Portugal could not find the equaliser as their last-four hopes were dashed.
Magnificent Moroccans make history
Three African sides had previously reached this stage of the World Cup but none had progressed any further. Until now.
The marvellous Moroccan players and fans rejoiced as En-Nesyri's header on 42 minutes proved to be the pivotal moment.
Fans whistled and jeered every pass the Portuguese players made and then the rowdiest section behind the goal seemed to suck the ball into the net.
Walid Regragui's side were missing West Ham's Nayef Aguerd, Bayern Munich's Noussair Mazraoui and lost captain Romain Saiss to injury early in the second period.
But they defended resolutely and frustrated Portugal to keep their seventh clean sheet in eight games under their boss and have conceded just once in this tournament.
Morocco are a tough proposition and buoyed on by a partisan crowd in Doha, they will present a difficult challenge to whoever they face in the last four on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Bounou, earning his 50th cap, pushed away a header from Felix early on and a deflected strike flew narrowly over.
Morocco had carved out the better opportunities on the break but En-Nesyri sent two free headers off target and Sofiane Boufal's curler was straight at Costa.
In his desperation for an equaliser, Fernando Santos sent on Ronaldo early in the second half but the 37-year-old - who equalled Kuwait striker Bader Al-Mutawa's international caps record - found it difficult to make any impact.
Having seen rival Lionel Messi reach the semi-finals on Friday, Ronaldo could not do the same with his side on what is likely to be his final World Cup appearance, trudging down the tunnel in tears at full-time as his dream was over.
Player of the match
En-NesyriYoussef En-Nesyri
with an average of 8.77
Morocco
Avg
-
Squad number19Player nameEn-Nesyri
Average rating
8.77
-
Squad number4Player nameS Amrabat
Average rating8.69
-
Squad number7Player nameZiyech
Average rating8.65
-
Squad number17Player nameBoufal
Average rating8.48
-
Squad number25Player nameAttiat-Allah
Average rating8.47
-
Squad number2Player nameHakimi
Average rating8.43
-
Squad number15Player nameAmallah
Average rating8.39
-
Squad number1Player nameBono
Average rating8.39
-
Squad number8Player nameOunahi
Average rating8.36
-
Squad number6Player nameSaïss
Average rating8.28
-
Squad number18Player nameEl Yamiq
Average rating8.24
-
Squad number14Player nameAboukhlal
Average rating8.24
-
Squad number20Player nameDari
Average rating8.17
-
Squad number24Player nameBenoun
Average rating8.12
-
Squad number26Player nameJabrane
Average rating8.07
-
Squad number21Player nameCheddira
Average rating7.13
Portugal
Avg
-
Squad number8Player nameBruno Fernandes
Average rating4.43
-
Squad number15Player nameRafael Leão
Average rating4.36
-
Squad number11Player nameJoão Félix
Average rating4.35
-
Squad number20Player nameJoão Cancelo
Average rating4.32
-
Squad number10Player nameBernardo Silva
Average rating4.28
-
Squad number4Player nameRúben Dias
Average rating4.18
-
Squad number2Player nameDiogo Dalot
Average rating4.17
-
Squad number3Player namePepe
Average rating4.08
-
Squad number18Player nameRúben Neves
Average rating3.89
-
Squad number5Player nameRaphaël Guerreiro
Average rating3.82
-
Squad number26Player nameGonçalo Ramos
Average rating3.81
-
Squad number22Player nameDiogo Costa
Average rating3.68
-
Squad number25Player nameOtávio
Average rating3.62
-
Squad number16Player nameVitinha
Average rating3.61
-
Squad number21Player nameRicardo Horta
Average rating3.57
-
Squad number7Player nameCristiano Ronaldo
Average rating3.28
Line-ups
Morocco
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Bono
- 2Hakimi
- 18El Yamiq
- 6SaïssSubstituted forDariat 57'minutesBooked at 70mins
- 25Attiat-Allah
- 8Ounahi
- 4S Amrabat
- 15AmallahSubstituted forCheddiraat 65'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 7ZiyechSubstituted forAboukhlalat 82'minutes
- 19En-NesyriSubstituted forBenounat 65'minutes
- 17BoufalSubstituted forJabraneat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Hamdallah
- 10Zaroury
- 11Sabiri
- 12Mohamedi
- 13Chair
- 14Aboukhlal
- 16Ezzalzouli
- 20Dari
- 21Cheddira
- 22Tagnaouti
- 23El Khannouss
- 24Benoun
- 26Jabrane
Portugal
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Diogo Costa
- 2DalotSubstituted forRicardo Hortaat 79'minutes
- 3Pepe
- 4Rúben Dias
- 5GuerreiroSubstituted forCanceloat 51'minutes
- 10Bernardo Silva
- 18NevesSubstituted forCristiano Ronaldoat 51'minutes
- 25OtávioSubstituted forVitinhaat 69'minutesBooked at 87mins
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 26Gonçalo RamosSubstituted forRafael Leãoat 69'minutes
- 11João Félix
Substitutes
- 1Rui Patrício
- 6João Palhinha
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
- 9André Silva
- 12Sá
- 14William Carvalho
- 15Rafael Leão
- 16Vitinha
- 17João Mário
- 20Cancelo
- 21Ricardo Horta
- 23Nunes
- 24António Silva
- Referee:
- Facundo Tello
- Attendance:
- 44,198
Match Stats
Home TeamMoroccoAway TeamPortugal
- Possession
- Home27%
- Away73%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away9
Live Text
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Post update
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Morocco 1, Portugal 0.
-
Post update
Attempt missed. Pepe (Portugal) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Rafael Leão with a cross.
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Post update
Attempt saved. Zakaria Aboukhlal (Morocco) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yahya Attiat-Allah.
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Post update
Corner, Portugal. Conceded by Badr Benoun.
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Dismissal
Second yellow card to Walid Cheddira (Morocco) for a bad foul.
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Post update
João Félix (Portugal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Foul by Walid Cheddira (Morocco).
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Booking
Walid Cheddira (Morocco) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Post update
Pepe (Portugal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Foul by Walid Cheddira (Morocco).
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Post update
Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes with a through ball.
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Post update
Offside, Morocco. Sofyan Amrabat tries a through ball, but Walid Cheddira is caught offside.
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Booking
Vitinha (Portugal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Post update
Foul by Vitinha (Portugal).
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Post update
Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Post update
Corner, Portugal. Conceded by Jawad El Yamiq.
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Post update
Vitinha (Portugal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Post update
Foul by Achraf Hakimi (Morocco).
-
Post update
Foul by Ricardo Horta (Portugal).
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Comments
Join the conversation
If England fail to beat France, then I for one will be hoping that Morocco not only becomes the first ever African nation to reach the final but actually wins it.
Well done Morocco!!
He thinks it's all over
It is now !
Spain
Portugal
For all those who said the African nations were at the cup to make up the numbers
Someone give Ronaldo a hanky.
Morrocco were so Organised and really determined to win. Just like every match they've played in this tournament. Such a credit to themselves.
Well played Morrocco. Well played.