'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Morocco knocked Portugal out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar with a 1-0 win on Saturday (December 10) to march into the semifinals.
Youssef En-Nesyri's first-half strike was enough to send the Atlas Lions through, making them the first African side to reach the last-four of the quadrennial competition.
The Selecao started the game on the strong foot and created a few half-chances, but Morocco held firm to thwart the 2016 European champions. With just three minutes left before half-time, En-Nesyri fired the north African side in front with a header from Yahia Attiyat Allah's cross.
Portuguese coach Fernando Santos threw in Cristiano Ronaldo just five minutes into the restart, but the 37-year-old too struggled to break down Morocco's resolute defence.
Portugal were in complete control of possession in the final half an hour or so but failed to capitalise on it, with their passes going painfully prosaic and off-target.
They huffed and puffed till the end, but there was no breaching the Moroccans, who held out to seal a historic place in the semifinals, where they await either England or France on Wednesday (December 14).
On that note, here're the player ratings for Morocco and Portugal:
Morocco Ratings
Yassine Bounou - 9/10
Morocco's real hero of the evening with numerous key saves, including a late one on Ronaldo. He has now kept an impressive four clean sheets in five games in the tournament.
Achraf Hakimi - 7/10
His attacking game wasn't the best on the night but made up for that with a fine showing in defence.
Jawad El Yamiq - 7.5/10
He cleaned up everything in front of him with aplomb and made ten clearances.
Romain Saiss - 6.5/10
Saiss complemented El Yamiq well in the Morocco defence but picked up a knock to his hamstring before the hour mark.
Yahia Attiyat Allah - 7.5/10
He set up En-Nesyri's winner with a fabulous looping cross.
Azzedine Ounahi - 8/10
Fast, industrious and adventurous - Ounahi fought hard for his team on the night.
Sofyan Amrabat - 7/10
He didn't let the pressure get on his nerves.
Selim Amallah - 7.5/10
His pace on the counter-attack was incredible.
Hakim Ziyech - 7/10
Not the most standout player on the night, but there were sporadic flashes of his creative brilliance.
Youssef En-Nesyri - 8.5/10
The Sevilla forward scored possibly the most important goal in Morocco's football history.
Sofiane Boufal - 6.5/10
Boufal made one effort on goa, but that was comfortably saved by Portugal custodian Diogo Costa.
Morocco Substitutes
Achraf Dari (57' for Saiss) - 6.5/10
He made a crucial clearance off the line late on.
Walid Cheddira (65' for Amallah) - 5/10
The forward got himself sent off late on after collecting a second yellow. He will now miss the semifinal clash.
Badr Benoun (65' for En-Nesyri) - 6.5/10
He made three clearances on the night.
Zakaria Aboukhlal (82' for Ziyech) - 5/10
Aboukhlal had a great chance to double Morocco's advantage in stoppage time but fired straight into Costa's gloves.
Yahya Zabrane (82' for Boufal) - N/A
A peripheral figure on the night
Portugal Player Ratings
Diogo Costa - 4/10
Morocco's goal was down to his mistake as Costa came off his line too quickly.
Diego Dalot - 6/10
He showed xemplary work ethic, but the end-product was desperately lacking.
Pepe - 6/10
Pepe missed a fabulous chance to equalise for Portugal deep in stoppage time but fired fired his header narrowly wide.
Ruben Dias - 5/10
The Manchester City star was beaten by En-Nesyri in the air for Morocco's goal.
Raphael Guerreiro - 5/10
A far cry from his electric performance in Portugal's win over Switzerland, Guerreiro was hooked off at half-time.
Bernardo Silva - 4/10
Silva in Portuguese colours is a pale shadow of his Manchester City self. What a waste.
Ruben Neves - 5.5/10
The Wolves man tried his best but failed to break the Moroccan lines.
Otavio - 5/10
Very quiet outing
Bruno Fernandes - 7/10
Fernandes sent in plenty of crosses and made a few shots too, but nothing came through.
Goncalo Ramos - 5/10
The 21-year-old was unable to back-up his last-16 hat-trick with anything of note. He sent a first-half header off target.
Joao Felix - 6/10
He came close to scoring in both halves with a shot apiece, but both flew high and over.
Portugal Substitutes
Cristiano Ronaldo (51' for Neves) - 6/10
He was thrown in to add more firepower to Portugal's attack but struggled to break down Morocco's watertight defence. It might have been his last match at the World Cup.
Joao Cancelo (51' for Guerreiro) - 5/10
The full-back couldn't bring much to the table.
Rafael Leao (69' for Ramos) - 7.5/10
Portugal's bright spark in the closing stages of the game with his relentless crossing, Leao mistimed most of his crosses, though.
Vitinha (69' for Otavio) - 6/10
He went into the books late on for catching Ounahi.
Ricardo Horta (79' for Dalot) - N/A
He brought nothing of note to Portugal's attack as they desperately looked to find an equaliser.
