Watch LIVE, Morocco vs Portugal (World cup 2022)

Watch LIVE, Morocco vs Portugal (World cup 2022)

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The World Cup trophy is becoming closer to view as the field becomes smaller, and on Saturday at Al Thumama Stadium, trailblazers Morocco will take on quarterfinal adversaries Portugal.

 

The Atlas Lions, who are now competing for a spot in the last four, defeated Spain before convincingly winning on penalties to advance to this round for the first time, while the Selecao completely changed their game to defeat Switzerland in the round of 16.

Achraf Hakimi put the finest of finishing touches on Morocco's defensive masterclass on Tuesday, ensuring hero status for all time. His "Panenka" penalty took the North African country through to the quarterfinals while handing Spain a 3-0 shootout loss.

In order to grind out a scoreless draw and set up a thrilling finish, Walid Regragui's team had to fight valiantly against the Spanish "death by a thousand passes" strategy. In doing so, they had to sacrifice the majority of their possession. Yassine Bounou, the goalkeeper, joined Hakimi as an everlasting legend in Rabat, Marrakech, and beyond.

 

 

In a crowded Education City Stadium, which was primarily filled with Moroccan fans whose fervor has proven to be such a big aspect of these championships, becoming only the fourth African side to reach the last eight at a World Cup - and the first in 12 years - drove the crowd crazy.

 

Regragui's team has made history for both their country and the Arab region. The Atlas Lions' only other trip in the round of 16 was back in 1986. In the process, they maintained a stunning sixth clean sheet in their past seven games, extending their World Cup undefeated streak to five games.

 

With the talent and dedication of Hakimi, fellow fullback Noussair Mazraoui, their center backs, and tireless midfield mainstay Sofyan Amrabat, a Morocco team made up in part of expatriates has grown into one of the toughest defensive groups in all of international football.

 

Fighting off members of the European elite like Croatia and Belgium earlier in the campaign also helped them finish first in Group F, so facing Portugal shouldn't be a concern for the quarterfinal underdogs.

This week, the Selecao easily defeated Switzerland and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup as Fernando Santos was rewarded for establishing his authority by benching Portugal's legendary captain. This victory may have been Santos' greatest since winning the 2016 European Championship.

Losing aging superstar Cristiano Ronaldo allowed for a far more flexible and dynamic assault, and his successor, Benfica prodigy Goncalo Ramos, was all than capable of taking over as the new king.

 

The 21-year-old scored an unstoppable opening goal and then went on to score a fairytale hat-trick in Portugal's 6-1 triumph. It was his first senior start and the first triple of the competition.

 

Rafael Leao, a winger for Milan, scored the final goal in his team's rout of the Swiss to dispel any remaining concerns about Portuguese football's future by making the entire world sit up and take attention.

 

Santos' team managed safe passage through the World Cup's opening round as Group H champions, and with three victories and 12 goals already, they may well hope they can now take the title for the very first time. This is despite a late slip-up against South Korea when they had already qualified.

 

Portugal, who were Eusebio-inspired semi-finalists in 1966, has more recently defied the expectations of its relatively small population by winning both the Euros and the Nations League. The Iberians have never reached a senior global final despite their success at the young level as well, but Saturday's match with Morocco offers a chance to get closer to the biggest prize in the game of beauty.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who has played for Portugal the most times (195) and is the all-time top scorer with 118 goals, is now starting at the front after being demoted in front of the entire nation on Tuesday. Goncalo Ramos, a fresh Selecao star, takes his place.

 

Joao Cancelo was also not selected by Fernando Santos for the match against Switzerland in favor of Raphael Guerreiro at left back and Diogo Dalot at right back.

 

Otavio, another of his less-noticed additions, should stay in midfield, while William Carvalho is hoping to fend off Ruben Neves for the Portuguese engine room.

 

Nuno Mendes had previously been ruled out of the knockout rounds due to injury, and Danilo is still uncertain. Ruben Dias should team up with Pepe, age 39, at the center of the back four in place of the latter, who will likely be absent.

 

Morocco has used a very consistent XI throughout the finals, in contrast to occasional team shuffles by Portugal.

 

Walid Regragui is concerned about Nayef Aguerd of West Ham United's fitness more than any other essential piece in his well-oiled machine.

 

During the triumph over Spain, the ever-present center defender was removed in tears, and captain Romain Saiss finished the game with strapping around his leg, leaving Jawad El Yamiq to fill in. In addition, Sofyan Amrabat, who has a back issue, played through the discomfort but should be ready to start.

 

Both full-backs in Qatar have dealt with injuries, and Noussair Mazraoui might not play, but a team led by the attacking three of Sofiane Boufal, Hakim Ziyech, and Youssef En-Nesyri will resemble the one that defeated La Roja.


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Oluwafisolami Oladipupo 42 w

Sigh

 
 
Gloman 42 w

Hmmm