The Morocco national team reached the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after beating their Portuguese counterpart 1-0 in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
With this victory, the Moroccan national team achieved the greatest achievement by Arabs and Africans in the history of the World Cups.
Youssef Al-Nusairi scored the only goal of the match in the 42nd minute after a historic rise to turn Atiyatallah’s cross into Portugal’s goal.
Morocco ended the match with ten players after substitute Walid Chedira was sent off with a red card after receiving two yellow cards.
The match began with pressure from the Portuguese, when Joao Felix delivered a header, which was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Yassin Bono in the 4th minute.
Hakim Ziyech, the Moroccan star, tried to threaten Portugal’s goal with a shot from outside the box that went wide of the left post in the 17th minute.
Joao Felix sent a powerful ball to the edge of the penalty area, which hit the Moroccan defender Jawad Al-Yamik, and in the 30th minute went over the crossbar of Yacine Bono.
Al-Nusairi managed to score the move’s goal in the 42nd minute, as he got a cross from the left side through Yahya Atyat Allah, who came up brilliantly and put the ball into the net.
In the 45th minute, Bruno Fernandez almost scored a draw for the Portuguese, inflicting a powerful shot on the crossbar of Yassin Bunu, so that the first half ended with a 1-0 score.
At the beginning of the second half, Morocco received a direct free kick, Hakim Ziyech crossed into the box, goalkeeper Costa came to block it and collided with Javad before it finally turned into a goal kick in the 49th minute.
Ramos almost equalized for Portugal as he received a cross from the right flank, got up and headed for a header that went close to the left post of Yacine Bono’s goal in the 58th minute.
Yassin Bono scored by blocking a dangerous shot by Joao Felix in the 82nd minute and turning it into a corner.
Yassin Bono continued to shine by blocking a shot from Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo in the 90+1 minute.
Zakaria Bouchal missed the opportunity to add Morocco’s second goal in the 95th minute as he singled out goalkeeper Costa, who inadvertently hit the goalkeeper’s body.
After that, the referee announced the end of the match, and Morocco reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time.
