Morocco chasing history in World Cup clash against Portugal
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Morocco is looking to solidify its place in World Cup history at least one more time.
The North African country has already left its mark in Qatar, beating Spain in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals against Portugal on Saturday, but they’re not about to stop now.
Manager Walid Regragui’s team wants to become the first African nation to ever qualify for a World Cup semifinal. Three other teams from the continent have made it to the top eight and came moments away from advancing, as Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010 all lost in extra time or on penalty kicks.
To avoid the same fate, Morocco features Montreal-born goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who helped his team top Group F over the likes of Croatia, Belgium and Canada, allowing just one score in three matches, an own-goal by centre-back Nayef Aguerd on a crosser by left-back Sam Adekugbe.
The goalkeeper then followed that up with a superb performance at the Round-of-16 match against Spain, saving three penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw in regulation and extra time to send Morocco to the next round.
It was the nation’s second Round-of-16 appearance after advancing in 1986 when they lost to then West Germany, 1-0.
Portugal similarly had a one-off success in the past, when an Eusébio-led team finished third at the 1966 tournament in England, before making only one more appearance in 36 years.
Since 2002, however, the Portuguese have made every World Cup, but only once advanced past the Round of 16 when a young Cristiano Ronaldo-led team finished fourth in 2006 after losing to France in the semifinals.
The former Real Madrid star has taken a significantly different role as his country again found a way to make it to the top eight. After three mediocre performances by the 37-year-old during group stage play, manager Fernando Santos benched his most famous player in favour of 21-year-old striker Gonçalo Ramos, who went on to score a hat-trick against Switzerland en route to a 6-1 victory.
A talented new Portuguese generation seems to no longer rely on a lone star to push their team to new heights. With nearly half the squad playing in the city of Manchester, as United’s Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot along with City’s Bernardo Silva and Rúben Dias make up for a formidable core that is just now hitting its stride. A couple of 23-year-olds in Atlético de Madrid’s João Felix and Milan’s Rafael Leão provide youth, speed and talent.
Long-time national team player Pepe, who scored his first World Cup goal against Switzerland in their Round-of-16 match on Tuesday, adds the veteran leadership that a young squad sometimes demands.
They will all be tasked with stopping a talented and well-coached Moroccan lineup that features players from several high-level European squads, including PSG’s right back Achraf Hakimi, Chelsea’s winger Hakim Ziyech, Sevilla’s striker Youssef En-Nesyri and Bayern Munchen’s left-back Noussair Mazraoui.
The Atlas Lions are riding an eight-game unbeaten streak, as the defence led by Bounou – sometimes called ‘Bono’ – allowed just two goals during that stretch.
The two sides have matched up twice before in World Cup history, with each team winning once, a 3-1 Morocco win in 1986 and a 1-0 victory for the Portuguese in 2018.
Predicted lineups
Morocco: Bono; Hakimi, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui; Amrabat, Amallah, Ounahi; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal
Portugal: Costa; Dalot, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro; Neves, Otavio; Silva, Fernandes, Felix; Ramos