Who will stop this Morocco?
The Atlas Lions have again achieved a feat during the World Cup by eliminating Portugal this time from Cristiano Ronaldo.
The band in Boufal enters history through the front door, before a historic semi-final against France or England.
For the occasion, Walid Regragui had reinstalled his 4-1-4-1 which worked wonders against Spain with Amrabat as an indomitable sentinel.
However, Nayef Aguerd, out injured against the Hispanics, leaves his place to El Yamiq in central hinge.
Portuguese side, Cristiano Ronaldo remains once again on the bench.
Portugal honored their status as favorites at the start of the match and Bounou was quickly called upon by a header from Joao Felix (3rd).
Morocco, however, came here to play the blow thoroughly and replied immediately by En-Nesyri on a corner (7th).
The Atlas Lions take the lead
Portugal but the Moroccan defense held firm and the Atlas Lions began to organize their game, taking advantage in particular of the talents of Boufal and Zyiech on the wings.
Under the encouragement of the public once again very numerous at the Al-Thumama stadium, the Moroccans push and begin to put Portugal in difficulty.
So much so that before the break, it was finally Morocco who took the lead.
In the area, Youssef En-Nesyri, struggling with Ruben Dias, took advantage of Diogo Costa's very poor outing to score with a header (43rd, 1-0).
Portugal failed to equalize immediately.
Bruno Fernandes addresses a center-shot in the surface of the Atlas Lions and finds the crossbar of Yassine Bounou (45th).
In the continuity, the Portuguese claims a penalty which the referee refuses, generating a long discussion during the break.
The seat of Morocco
Fernando Santos decides to bring in the supreme weapon shortly after returning from the locker room.
Cristiano Ronaldo takes the place of Ruben Neves, equalizing the absolute record of matches in the selection of Kuwaiti Bader Al-Mutawa (196).
He immediately signals a cross that ends up in the gloves of Bounou (53rd).
Morocco must take a hard blow.
Romain Saïss, already injured in the thigh during the match against Spain, must leave the field for a new pain in this place.
The Moroccan captain comes out in tears as there are more than 35 minutes left for the Atlas Lions to go down in history.
A long siege then began: a header from Gonçalo Ramos missed the target (58'), a strike from Bruno Fernandes went over (64'), corners followed one another... To hold on, Walid Regragui chose a defense at 5 by leaving the striker En-Nesyri and bringing in the central defender Benoun.
And when the defense fails, there is always Bounou, already heroic against Spain.
The Sevilla FC goalkeeper taps off the curled strike from the left foot of João Félix (82nd).
The Atlas Lions do not let go until the end.
Despite the injuries, despite the deployed Portuguese armada or the red card from Cheddira, they hold on.
The fans are overwhelmed with happiness: the Kingdom and Africa will taste the joys of a first World Cup semi-final.
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