This may be it for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.
Morocco grew to become the primary African nation to achieve the World Cup semi-finals as Youssef En-Nesyri’s first-half objective sealed a tense 1-0 victory over Portugal on Sunday.
The Atlas Lions, additionally the primary Arab staff to make the final 4, added Portugal to their listing of European scalps with a resolute second-half efficiency.
“It’s barely believable,” the SBS commentator stated.
Ronaldo has doubtless performed his final World Cup match after making an ineffectual look as a second-half substitute, failing to attain his first knockout-phase objective on the match.
“Knowing his mentality, if he had played every game and started in this team, there is every chance he comes back at 41,” former Matildas participant Sarah Walsh stated within the SBS studio.
“But in the end he turned into a bit-part player. He didn’t have the same energy. He got in behind once. Even his touch didn’t look all that good inside areas. Unfortunately I think that is the last time we see him on the biggest stage. Even at the Euros (in two years) might be a stretch.”
Ronaldo was in tears as he walked straight off the pitch with out showing to congratulate any of the Moroccan gamers and was additionally accosted by a pitch invader that was dragged away by safety.
He leaves Qatar having didn’t right one of the vital evident absences from his virtually unrivalled resume.
Not solely has he didn’t carry soccer’s most well-known trophy however he has additionally failed to attain in all eight of his knockout stage appearances on the World Cup — a scoreless stretch of 570 minutes by which he took 27 pictures.
Morocco took a Forty second-minute lead via En-Nesyri’s header as they got here on strongly late within the first interval.
Portugal piled on the stress after the break however an injury-hit Morocco, with out three of their 4 first-choice defenders as soon as skipper Romain Saiss was pressured off, held on regardless of being lowered to 10 males in added time.
“They went into the game without Aguerd and Mazraoui … Saiss went out with an injury. Three of the back four had not played. Ziyech went off injured. Everything
that could go wrong did,” former Socceroo Robbie Cornthwaite stated within the SBS studio. “But this is a team united. An incredible result for world football.”
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was named man-of-the-match. “Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming,” Bounou advised reporters.
“These moments are great, but we’re here to change the mentality. This feeling of inferiority … we have indeed changed this mentality, and the generation coming after us will know that Moroccan players can create miracles.”
The partisan crowd undoubtedly helped the North Africans over the road, though Portugal struggled to create many clear-cut probabilities.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was despatched on early within the second half by coach Fernando Santos however couldn’t rescue the Euro 2016 winners.
Instead it was one other well-known day for Morocco, after earlier upset wins over Belgium and Spain, on penalties, in Qatar.
Walid Regragui’s males will face England or holders France within the semi-finals at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday.
Morocco will imagine they’ll topple both of these sides, having nonetheless solely conceded as soon as at this World Cup.
Portugal loved the vast majority of possession within the opening half-hour, however Joao Felix’s fifth-minute diving header, saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, was the closest both facet got here to an early objective.
Morocco at all times regarded harmful, although, and Selim Amallah ballooned a shot over and Sofiane Boufal curled straight at Diogo Costa for the Africans.
It was no shock when Morocco did forge forward shortly earlier than the interval. Portuguese goalkeeper Costa got here for a cross from left-back Yahya Attiat-Allah he was by no means going to get to and Sevilla striker En-Nesyri did the remainder with a towering header.
Portugal virtually equalised seconds later in spectacular style when Bruno Fernandes crashed a bouncing ball from the right-hand facet of the field in opposition to the crossbar.
A loopy jiffy earlier than half-time additionally noticed Attiat-Allah, solely taking part in rather than the injured Noussair Mazraoui, blaze extensive after one other speedy counter.
Portugal’s gamers had been nonetheless interesting for a penalty after Fernandes threw himself to the bottom underneath stress from Achraf Hakimi on the different finish.
Morocco virtually doubled their benefit 4 minutes after the restart as Costa nearly managed to forestall Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick from the precise from flying all the way in which in.
Santos wasted little time in summoning for his captain, sending on Ronaldo and Joao Cancelo within the 51st minute.
Ronaldo equalled the lads’s worldwide world file of 196 picks when he got here on.
The 37-year-old matched the file set by Kuwait worldwide Bader Al-Mutawa.
Morocco, already with out injured defenders Mazraoui and Nayef Aguerd, had been dealt one other blow when Saiss was stretchered off.
Portugal began to put siege to the opposition objective and Fernandes got here near levelling once more when he fired narrowly over from the sting of the field.
Morocco had been largely preserving Portugal at bay, however Bounou needed to be at his greatest to tip over Felix’s drive with eight minutes remaining.
Eight minutes of damage time had been largely spent with Portugal camped within the Morocco half and Ronaldo virtually had his second when his low strike was saved out by Bounou.
Morocco substitute Walid Cheddira was harshly despatched off for a second yellow card within the house of two minutes.
Zakaria Aboukhlal ought to have put the sport to mattress solely to dink straight at Costa when clear via.
But his staff someway held onto their result in write their names within the historical past books as Pepe headed extensive from shut vary proper on the demise.
Morocco surpassed the three different African sides to achieve the quarter-finals — Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
— with AFP
Originally printed as Ronaldo accosted by pitch invader, left in tears after Portugal exit World Cup
