Morocco became the first African team to advance to the tournament’s semifinals, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in FIFA World Cup history with a shocking 1-0 victory over Portugal.
Youssef En-lone Nesyri‘s goal toward the end of the first half was sufficient to frustrate Portugal, who – despite the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in the second half – were unable to overcome a determined Moroccan defence on one of the most significant days in the history of African football.
Portugal, who once again benched Ronaldo, controlled possession the whole match but struggled to generate the kind of gilt-edged opportunities against the tournament’s top defence. When En-Nesyri soared to the highest point and headed the ball past Diogo Costa toward the end of the first half, it caused a commotion within the Al Thumama Stadium.
Just a few seconds later, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes nearly tied the game, but his superb shot bounced off the Moroccan crossbar.
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After 50 minutes, Ronaldo—the all-time leading scorer in international football—was inserted but remained virtually unnoticed, with the exception of one final-minute opportunity when Yassine Bounou of Morocco stopped his thundering shot.
The North African team had only given up one goal in Qatar—an own goal against Canada—but they occasionally got lucky. Bounou made a great stop on Joao Felix as Portugal pushed forward in the closing minutes.
When Romain Saiss was taken away on a stretcher halfway through the second half, Morocco, who had been severely hampered by injuries prior to the game, lost their captain. For long of the game, they appeared content to sit back and take the pressure, but they refused to let their guard down, and Portugal’s desperation was insufficient to overcome their defensive organisation.
When Walid Cheddira received a second yellow card early in the first ten minutes of stoppage time, the magnitude of their mission grew even more challenging, but the Africans held on to record the most historic victory in their history and an unforgettable day for African football as a whole.
