Morocco leap to victory over frustrated Portuguese
History has been written: Africa at last has a team in the semi-finals of a World Cup competition.
O Morocco! Ow Portugal!
History has been written: Africa at last has a team in the semi-finals of a World Cup competition.
It matters little how Morocco did it – the fact that they defended for most of the game.
Who cares if it looked ugly, helter skelter and at times amateurish?
So what if they hung on, held on and feigned injury to wind the clock down?
Morocco have beaten Portugal; they frustrated them, tired them and physically overpowered them.
Only one goal separated the teams after the 90 plus plenty, but it was the greater goal of doing what none else on the continent have done that filled the hearts, minds and bodies of the mighty Moroccans.
Never again will it be said that African nations are merely minor obstacles the ‘big boys’ must overcome on their way to glory.
Back to that goal in the 42nd minute: it’s one that the scorer, Youssef En-Nesyri will replay over and over in his dreams, and Portugal’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa will have flashbacks and nightmares over for the rest of his life.
The first half was heading for a close when Attiyat-Allah curled in a cross from the left. Costa came out for it, but missed; Ruben Dias didn’t see the danger and didn’t appear to bother to jump.
Not so En-Nesyri! He leaped like a salmon migrating upstream in an Alaskan river.
How do all these Moroccans jump so high?! We saw it all game when aerial balls were pumped into their box; they won every airborne battle.
Could it be the ‘spring’ water in these semi-desert countries?
One could argue that the only luck Portugal had was bad luck, but in any sport you create your own luck.
Morocco took the ironly real chance and Portugal didn’t take their many chances.
Was Ronaldo crying for his country or for himself when he sobbed down the tunnel?
Well, the only tears in Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakesh are tears of joy.
The stars have being extinguished over Lisbon, Porto and Braga – and people now know the difference between an underdog and an Atlas Lion.
PS Morocco did it minus one man for the last nine minutes when Walid Cheddira was evicted after two quick yellow cards equaled one red.
PPS What a bunch of whiners Portugal are. Well not all of them, but the likes of Bruno Fernandez was like the complaints desk at a busy supermarket every time he didn’t get what he thought was the right decision. But he has nobody else to blame for some of his uncharacteristic loose passing and off-radar shooting.
PPPS Morocco have still not conceded a goal in open play. The only blemish against them in the tournament has been an own goal.
