AFRICAN FOOTBALL HISTORY: Now hard-line Morocco sends Portugal home as they are in the semi-finals | sports

Portugal made the wood from Switzerland in the eighth finals, but Morocco faced a stronger opponent this time. What remains the same: Ronaldo also started off the bench today. When the paparazzi again paid more attention to him than the players on the field, CR7 deftly turned his back on them.

Portugal had the ball especially in the first quarter, but Morocco had a better arrangement than the Swiss. Openings were hard to find, though Bono soon had to get his hands dirty to deflect a header from Felix off his own goal. Morocco gradually grew in party and reacted with two Nusayri heads, but they lacked the necessary guidance.

But now in Morocco they know the saying “the third time, the lucky time”. Because a few minutes before the end of the first half, En-Nesyri himself was faster than the tempting Costa on a high cross. The Sevilla striker nodded through the floor: 1-0, not even undeserved. Portugal came close to equalizing before half-time, but Fernandes’ clever shot hit the crossbar.

In the second half, Santos looked on for another five minutes, but then thought it was time to throw Cristiano Ronaldo into the fight. He immediately showed himself with a good job, but Gonzalo Ramos had the biggest chance. The hat-trick against Switzerland headed an excellent opportunity wide. Fernandez also tried again, but his shot went wide.

And what about Morocco? That didn’t change anything – unlike what happened in the first half. Regragui saw his forces retreat en masse to sixteen. A dangerous game, but the Atlas Lions survived – in part thanks to Portugal’s offensive immaturity. Morocco is the first ever African country to prepare for a semi-final against England or France, while Portugal and Ronaldo are stranded in the quarter-finals.