World Cup games

Morocco were huge underdogs ahead of their game vs. Portugal but became the first African side to advance to the World Cup semifinals.

- Portugal are 1-7-0 (W-L-D) when trailing at half-time at the World Cup. Morocco: Incredibly, a World Cup semifinal against England or France is next on the agenda at the Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday at 10 p.m. - En-Nesyri's goal was the second headed goal ever scored by Morocco in World Cup history. - Entering the match, Morocco were on a nine-match unbeaten streak in all competitions: the second-longest among teams still in the World Cup. Eight different players have scored for Fernando Santos' team at the World Cup and it was the wrong moment for almost all of them to have an off day. [Youssef En-Nesyri](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/242736/Youssef-En-Nesyri) got the only goal in a dramatic 1-0 win at Al Thumama and denied Portugal what would have been a place in the last four for the first time for 16 years. If this is the last we see of one of history's great players on this stage then it was a very meek way to bow out. We fought for each ball and we are very happy with the win, and it's very important for us and for the future." Morocco struck a huge blow for African and Arab football by becoming the first team to reach a World Cup semifinal. [Bracket](https://www.espn.com/soccer/bracket) [Highlights and notable moments](#highlights) [Best/worst performers](#bestworst)

The "World Cup Now" crew breaks down which players were most important in Morocco's stunning quarterfinal win over Portugal.

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Morocco stunned Portugal and France's repeat hopes stay alive with a tense victory over England. John Molinaro breaks down all the day's action.

The Croatians are on the cusp of back-to-back appearances in the World Cup final after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Brazil in the quarterfinals, and are getting the best out of the world-class midfield trio of Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić and Marcelo Brozović. Argentina has been inspired by Lionel Messi and its core of exciting young attackers, most notably Enzo Fernández, to get within a game of returning to the World Cup final for the first time in eight years. It will also leave the country that bequeathed the sport to the rest of the world to ponder what exactly it has to do to win a second World Cup or a European Championship. He is the editor-in-chief of But the song has taken on a life of its own since then, adopted as a mantra by English supporters and media every two years when a major tournament rolls around. In terms of the team, I can't be thinking with my heart. Morocco is the in-form team at this World Cup, having gone unbeaten in five games while conceding only once – and that was an own-goal in a 2-1 win over Canada in the group stage. Whenever England plays, there are three words that are unavoidable: “Football’s coming home.” You’ll see it on shirts, banners, flags and tattooed on the bodies of English supporters who sing out from the terraces of stadiums. Lifted up by their three African neighbours that came before them, the Atlas Lions of Morocco moved on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Portugal to become the first nation from Africa to reach the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup. The Moroccans lost key defender Nayef Aguerd to injury before Saturday’s match, and his centre-back partner and captain Romain Saiss early in the second half. “At some point in Africa, we have to be ambitious and think, why not win the World Cup, even if it’s going to be hard,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said in the aftermath of his country’s triumph over Spain earlier this week. [Match report](https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/morocco-upset-portugal-becomes-first-african-nation-to-reach-world-cup-semifinals/)

“If we take two people that were the most upset about the game, perhaps it was Cristiano Ronaldo and myself,” Portugal Coach Fernando Santos said through an ...

But that goal was Ronaldo’s only one in this tournament and perhaps the final one of his World Cup career. Santos later said that Ronaldo was not happy when told of his benching but that he had never threatened to leave the team. Cristiano is a great player and he came in when we thought it was necessary.” Against Morocco’s defense, Ramos didn’t wow again and was replaced by Rafael Leão in the 69th minute. But during a 2-1 loss to South Korea in Portugal’s third and final group-stage game, Santos replaced Ronaldo much sooner, in the 65th minute. In the tunnel, television cameras showed Ronaldo — one of the most decorated players to never have won a World Cup and who had been reduced to a substitute player of late — wiping tears from his eyes. So against Morocco, Santos stuck with what worked and had Ronaldo on the bench again while Ramos started. During the first two games of the World Cup group stage, Ronaldo started and was removed late for a substitute. Benched in back to back knockout stage games by Santos, Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, performed little like the dazzling player who had scored 118 times in 196 career appearances for his national team. Here’s a primer to the [final hurrah on this stage for veteran stars](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/08/sports/world-cup/messi-ronaldo-soccer.html) like Ronaldo, Lionel Messi of Argentina and Luka Modric of Croatia. As Morocco and its fans celebrated with glee and Portugal’s players stood around in shock, Ronaldo, 37, exited what he has said could well be his final World Cup.