Morocco continue their incredible 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign as they go head to head with Portugal at the Al Thumama Stadium for a place in the final four on Saturday.
Following their 2-1 defeat against South Korea in their Group H finale, which saw their perfect group-stage record come to an end, the Selecao bounced back to winning ways in style as they steamrolled Switzerland 6-1 in last Tuesday's round-of-16 tie.
With Cristiano Ronaldo starting from the bench, Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos put on a show at the Lusail Stadium as he netted the first hat-trick of the tournament to fire Fernando Santos's men to an emphatic victory.
As for Morocco, they stunned a star-studded Spain side in the round of 16 last Tuesday as they held off the 2010 world champions before claiming a penalty-shootout victory to secure their first-ever quarter-final appearance.
Bono, who plies his trade with Sevilla in La Liga, turned in a performance of the highest quality as he made two stops in the shootout before Spanish-born Achraf Hakimi converted his cheeky penalty to condemn Luis Enrique's men to a 3-0 shootout defeat.
This followed a superb group-stage campaign, where Walid Regragui's side finished unbeaten in Group F, claiming two wins and one draw to collect seven points and finish top of the group standings ahead of Croatia, Belgium and Canada.
Defensive solidity has been a major ingredient in their success as the Atlas Lions, who are the only nation outside of Europe or South America still in Qatar, have conceded just once in their four matches so far, which came courtesy of an own goal from Nayef Aguerd in the 2-1 group-stage victory over Canada on December 1.
Portugal must find a way to break down Morocco's water-tight backline on Saturday, but will fancy their chances of getting the job done, having found the back of the net in the previous two meetings between the nations.
Both sides have only ever met in the FIFA World Cup, with their first encounter coming in the group stages back in June 1986, when Morocco claimed a comfortable 3-1 victory courtesy of a first-half brace from Abdelrazze Khairi and Abdelkarim Krimau's 61st-minute strike.
Portugal returned the favour exactly 32 years later, when Ronaldo netted the only goal at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium in the opening five minutes to condemn the North Africans to a slender 1-0 defeat in Group B.
MOROCCO VS. PORTUGAL HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
Morocco wins: 1
Portugal wins: 1
Draws: 0
Morocco goals: 3
Portugal goals: 2
MATCH HISTORY
June 11, 1986: Morocco 3-1 Portugal (FIFA World Cup)
June 20, 2018: Morocco 0-1 Portugal (FIFA World Cup)
Read more on Morocco vs Portugal
- Click here to read our full preview for Morocco vs Portugal
- How Morocco could line up against Portugal
- How Portugal could line up against Morocco
body check tags ::
