The Moroccan national team achieved an unprecedented historical achievement by reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup (Qatar 2022).
after defeating Portugal with a score (1-0), this evening, Saturday, in the quarter-final competition.
Al-Aswad owes this victory to Youssef Al-Nusairi, who scored the only goal of the match in the 42nd minute.
With this victory, Morocco becomes the first Arab and African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, to await the winner from the confrontation between England and France tonight.
The match began with pressure from Portugal, as Joao Felix received a ball inside the penalty area, and hit a header that was brilliantly saved by Yassine Bono, the Moroccan goalkeeper, in the 4th minute.
And from a corner kick to Morocco, the response came with a header by Youssef Al-Nusairi, which passed over the horizontal bar in the 6th minute.
Hakim Ziyech, the star of the Moroccan national team, tried to threaten Portugal’s goal with a shot from outside the penalty area, which passed by the left post in the 17th minute.
Hakim Ziyash sent a cross into the Portugal penalty area towards Al-Nusairi, who hit an incomplete header in the 25th minute.
Joao Felix sent a powerful ball on the edge of the penalty area, which hit Moroccan defender Jawad Al-Yamiq and passed over the horizontal bar of Yassin Bono’s goal in the 30th minute.
Sofiane Boufal, the Moroccan national team player, shot a powerful ball from outside the penalty area, which was saved by goalkeeper Costa in the 35th minute.
And Youssef Al-Nusairi, the Moroccan national team striker, succeeded in scoring the goal of progress in the 42nd minute, as he received a cross from the left side via Yahya Atiyatallah. Al-Nusairi rose brilliantly and put the ball into the net.
Bruno Fernandez almost scored the equalizing goal for Portugal in the 45th minute, with a powerful shot that hit the horizontal bar of Yassin Bono’s goal.
The first half ended with Morocco advancing 1-0.
At the start of the second half, Morocco got a direct free kick that Hakim Ziyech crossed into the area. Goalkeeper Costa came out to block it and collided with Morocco’s defender Jawad Al-Yamiq before it finally turned into a goal kick in the 49th minute.
Goncalo Ramos almost equalized the score for Portugal, as he received a cross from the right side, rose, and hit a header that passed near the left post of Yassin Bono’s goal in the 58th minute.
Bruno Fernandez hit a powerful ball on the edge of the penalty area, which passed over the horizontal bar in the 64th minute.
Yassin Bono shone in blocking a dangerous curved shot from Portugal’s Joao Felix in the 82nd minute and turned it into the corner.
Yassin Bono continued to shine by blocking a shot from Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo in the 91st minute.
Walid Chedira, the Moroccan national team player, who came on as a substitute in the 65th minute, received two yellow cards within 3 minutes, and the most famous referee of the match was a red card.
Zakaria Boukhal missed the opportunity to add the second goal for Morocco in the 95th minute, as he singled out goalkeeper Costa, but he shot carelessly, and the Portuguese goalkeeper saved it easily.
And the Moroccans continued their steadfastness in the final minutes, to successfully defeat Portugal in the quarter-finals, and continue writing history.
