Portugal controlled the ball and started well with Joao Felix getting a great save from Bono. Morocco approached the last third of the field and there were few chances to score the first goal.
Joao Felix tried his luck again about half an hour, but a powerful shot was pressured by Moroccans. Betting on the speed of the front men, Morocco managed to reach the only goal of the match, courtesy of En-Nesiri.
A cross wide in the Portuguese area, a false start by Diogo Costa, and the Seville striker advanced on Ruben Dias and headed towards the empty goal.
Bruno Fernandes came close to equalizing soon after, with a shot against the crossbar from Morocco’s goal.
The second part brought complete control of Portugal but also a completely insurmountable Moorish wall.
Gonzalo Ramos, who once again left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, hit a header in the 58th minute and Bruno Fernandez hit in front of the Moroccan penalty area hard, but over Bono’s goal.
With Ronaldo on the field, Portugal kept trying to put the ball into the Moroccan area and in the 82nd minute, João Félix got this close to equalizing with a curling shot. Bono responded this afternoon saved a corner kick.
Already in extra time, a deep pass gave Ronaldo the chance to equalize but Bono saved the kick twice. Until the end of the match, Morocco was still on the verge of 2-0 and Portugal could not take a shot on target.
In the final minutes, they played with their hearts more than their heads, and Portugal tried to score the goal it deserved, but Morocco succeeded in avoiding it at all costs to reach, in an unprecedented way, the semi-finals of the World Cup.
A bittersweet taste at the end of the match, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s tears. Portugal exited the 2022 World Cup, feeling they had the quality to be in the group of the world’s top four.
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