The dramatic 2022 Qatar World Cup quarter-final match led Morocco to successfully make history as the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals. After sending Spain home in the last 16 via a penalty shootout, this time they defeated Portugal with a score of 1-0.
Once again, Morocco’s defense was so strong that it kept two clean sheets in a row, aka not conceding a goal in two matches in the World Cup knockout party. Morocco’s defense in this World Cup is indeed very special. Of the five matches they have played, they have only conceded a goal once, namely in the 2-1 win against Canada in the group phase. That means five games, four clean sheets and never lost.
Facing Portugal, Morocco returned to playing disciplined and solid in defense. Even though for 90 minutes they dominated the game, only occasionally did Portugal actually threaten the Moroccan goal. Portugal sent a line up that was not much different when they won 6-1 over Switzerland. Only Ruben Neves has replaced William Carvalho in the defensive midfield position.
The first half Portugal dominated possession but looked difficult to penetrate the Moroccan defense. Morocco several times can create opportunities from counterattacks. And in the 43rd minute through a counter attack, a cross from the right side of the Portuguese defense was tried to be driven away by goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Costa’s blunder, when his calculation came out to block the ball, was preceded by the Moroccan striker from the Seville club, Youssef En Nesyri. En Nesyri’s header successfully hit Portugal’s goal and made the smell of surprise start to smell in the third quarter-final match of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Early in the second half Fetnando Santos showed his determination to come out on the attack. Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Cancelo he entered to increase Portugal’s attack power. Cancelo replaced Raphael Guerrero at left fullback while Ronaldo replaced Ruben Neves. This means that Portugal replaced a defensive midfielder with an attacker.
Ronaldo is now with Gocalo Ramos in the Portuguese attack line assisted by Joao Felix, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, plus two full-backs Cancelo on the left and Diogo Dalot on the right. Twenty minutes of time passed, Portugal had increasingly dominant ball possession. But the goal still has not smelled.
Bernardo Silva, Dalot and Cancelo have not been able to penetrate the Moroccan penalty box. Even so, Ronaldo’s touch and the presence of Goncalo Ramos are still not optimal to threaten the Moroccan goal. Fernando Santos also changed his attack line options again. This time he included Rafael Leao to replace Goncalo Ramos. The wing attack seems to be trying to be maximized by Portugal.
Time was running fast for Portugal and its attacking formation was still not able to create chaos for the Moroccan defense, Fetnando Santos once again added ammunition to his attack. This time Diogo Dalot was replaced by Ricardo Horta. The wing defenders are replaced by wing attackers.
Portugal attacks from the right side, a flat pass slides into the middle of the penalty box, Ronaldo reflects the ball to Joao Felix who continues it with a curved shot towards goal. The ball rolled swiftly but the Moroccan goalkeeper whose last name reminds us of the U2 vocalist, Bono managed to block it well. The Portuguese attack succeeded in endangering the Moroccan goal but returned zonk and did not produce a goal.
And time went on as if it didn’t want to wait for Portugal to find a bright spot on the way to the equalizing goal. Time passed and the Moroccan penalty box seemed to be a restricted area which was very difficult for Portugal’s attackers to enter. And suddenly extra time has come, eight additional minutes of opportunity for Portugal after 90 minutes of not being able to produce a single goal.
Ronaldo’s hard kick was on target, but once again Bono was able to anticipate it well. Portugal still got one hope when the Moroccan player, Walid Cheddira received a second yellow card which meant a red card. Five minutes Portugal will play with an advantage in the number of players compared to Morocco.
Time is running out, it’s time for Portugal to try their last luck, a direct pass into the penalty box. The opportunity came, Leao from the left managed to feed the ball into the penalty box, Ronaldo’s jump failed to reach but Pepe’s head successfully headed it. But still, no goals.
And finally time was really up, the long whistle sounded the referee when the score was still 1-0 in favor of Morocco. That’s it, Portugal’s steps in Qatar 2022 are enough to reach the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Morocco created history by becoming the first African country to reach the semifinals of the World Cup.
ASL
