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Morocco’s Youssef En-Nesyri hits a header during the World Cup 2022 quarterfinal match against Portugal, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on December 10, 2022.
| Photo Credit: AP
Youssef En-Nesyri’s towering header late in the first half gave first-time quarter-finalists Morocco a 1-0 lead over Portugal at halftime on December 10, 2022.
En-Nesyri, who had twice headed over the crossbar earlier, leapt higher than both Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa and defender Ruben Dias to put Morocco ahead in the 42nd minute.
Portugal forward Joao Felix came close to opening the scoring on two occasions, forcing Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into an early save before his strike in the 31st minute took a deflection and narrowly missed the target.
The winner of the match will face either France or England, who play later on Saturday night, in the semi-final.
Earlier, Portugal again left captain Cristiano Ronaldo out of their starting line-up, keeping hat-trick hero Goncalo Ramos in the team for Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal against Morocco.
Portugal’s all-time leading goal scorer with 118 goals in 195 appearances, Ronaldo was benched for Tuesday’s 6-1 win over Switzerland in the last 16 where the 21-year-old Ramos scored three in only his fourth appearance.
Ronaldo, 37, was upset at being left out by coach Fernando Santos on the eve of the game, and Portugal’s football federation then had to deny reports that their skipper had threatened to leave the tournament.
Santos made one change on Saturday after that convincing win, with Ruben Neves in for William Carvalho, while his Morocco counterpart Walid Regragui was forced to shuffle his defence after Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui were ruled out by injury.
The absence of both is a major blow, with Yahia Attiat Allah in at left back for Mazraoui and Jawad El Yamiq replacing Aguerd.
There had also been concern over the fitness of captain Romain Saiss and midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, but both will play.
Starting line-ups for the World Cup quarterfinal between Morocco and Portugal
Morocco (4-3-3)
Yassine Bounou; Achraf Hakimi, Jawad El Yamiq, Romain Saiss (capt), Yahya Attiat-Allah; Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Selim Amallah; Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal
Coach: Walid Regragui (MAR)
Portugal (4-2-3-1)
Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Pepe (capt), Raphael Guerreiro; Ruben Neves, Otavio; Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix; Goncalo Ramos
Coach: Fernando Santos (POR)
Referee: Facundo Tello (ARG)
