Portugal vs Morocco Highlights, FIFA World Cup 2018, Match 18 at Moscow: Portugal win 1-0, Morocco ousted

Here’s how Uruguay and Saudi Arabia line up!

Uruguay: Muslera; Varela, Giménez, Godín, Cáceres; Sánchez, Bentancur, Vecino, C. Rodríguez; Cavani, Suárez.

Saudi Arabia: Al-Owais; Hawsawi, Al-Bulayhi, Al-Burayk, Al-Shahrani; Al-Faraj, Bahbir, Ateef, Al-Jassam; Al-Dawsari, Al-Muwallad.

Morocco bow out of the World Cup

Sad end to a terrific story

Morocco should have six points and it should be the story of the tournament. As it turns out, the Moroccans can't finish their chances and they will go home after playing Spain on the 25th of June. First team to be eliminated.

— Priyansh (@Privaricate) June 20, 2018

Full-time stats

Morocco leading in each attacking statistic but Portugal get the statistic that matter the most.

Stat alert!

26 of the 43 World Cup goals have now come from a set-piece situation: 60% (8 penalties, 7 corners, 10 free-kicks, 1 throw in)

Morocco bow out

Arnav: This is a deeply unfortunate result. Morocco have been far from the worst team at this tournament, and they don’t deserve to be the first knocked out. I really wish we could have seen more from the likes of Amrabat and Ziyach. That was at least an entertaining game. Morocco deserved at least a draw.

Morocco bow out

As Benatia blazed over in added time, it became certain that today was not Morocco’s day. It has not been their World Cup either. The Atlas Lions have bossed two matches and lost both of them, becoming the first side to be knocked out of the tournament in the process. As for Portugal, serious questions will be asked of today’s performance. The European champions were second best in all departments and a more clinical opponent would have defeated Santos and his players today. However, with four points in the kitty and Iran to come, Portugal will back itself to progress to the knockouts. A certain Cristiano Ronaldo looks in top form. He is also this World Cup’s top scorer now.

FT! Portugal beat Morocco!

Peep peeep peeeeeep! And that’s that! Portugal get all three points and Morocco become the first team to be eliminated from the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo struck his fourth goal of the tournament in the fourth minute to take the lead in the race for the golden boot. Morocco created chance after chance but lacked a finishing touch up front.

90+2` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: Get exasperated with one Benatia miss, shame on me. Get exasperated with two Benatia misses, shame on Benatia.

90+2` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Benatia spurns another gilt-edged opportunity to grab an equaliser. From a corner, he gets the ball near the penalty spot. He takes a touch and looks to blast it into the top corner but sends it well over the bar.

90` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Skandha: Ziyach really is a special talent.

89` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

What a chance for Ziyach to pull Morocco level! He gets at the end of Amrabat’s pass and looks set to crash a left-footed shot right into the top corner but the ball takes a deflection off Pepe and balloons over.

88` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Santos looks to play it safe as the match winds to a finish. The already booked João Moutinho is hooked for Adrien Silva. It’s lockdown time.

86` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Final substitution for Morocco as Renard looks to have a proper go at Portugal. The defensive midfielder Karim El Ahmadi is dispensed for Fayçal Fajr

85` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Poor defending from Benatia as he loses the ball right on the edge of the box and has to bring down Ronaldo to prevent him from going one-on-one with the keeper. Ronaldo looks ominous as he goes about his usual routine before a free-kick. All comes to nought as he slams the ball against the wall.

82` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Portugal began the half with the intention of extending their lead but the focus now is on defending. And it’s a job the Portuguese are doing well. Morocco are barely allowed a sight of the goal.

81` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Portugal finally get out of their half. Cedric finds Moutinho who squares the ball to Bruno Fernandes. The substitute has a crack at goal but the ball rolls harmlessly away from goal.

80` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: How long has it been since Portugal got out of their own half?

78` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

This time Morocco win a corner and Ziyach with another peach of a delivery into the box but none of his teammates can get a meaningful touch on the ball.

78` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Another free-kick and another chance wasted. Ziyach swings the free-kick towards Benatia at the front post but the ball comes of his shoulder and flies just wide of the post.

75` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Mehdi Carcela replaces Younes Belhanda as Renard desperately seeks a goal. Portugal will be pleased with the direction in which this match is headed. Morocco is struggling to make incisive breaks into the opposition box and time is running out.

74` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Second change from Morocco and Belhanda, who had a good game, comes off for Mehdi Carcela. Morocco continue their probing but are lacking that killer touch in front of goal. Someone of Ronaldo’s calibre could have gotten a hat-trick from the number of chances created by the likes of Ziyach and Amrabat.

70` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: The Portuguese players are starting to play a bit rough. Morocco have had lots of set pieces already and may feel hard done by not to have had more.

69` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

First change for Morocco, it’s a like for like replacement as El Kabbi takes Boutaib’s place. Portugal have also altered their team, with Bruno Fernandes coming on for João Mario.

67` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

The Moroccans win another free-kick on the right. Ziyach goes for goal but it curls over the bar.

65` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

It has gotten a bit scrappy, so the crowd is keeping itself entertained with a Mexican wave.

63` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Skandha: Ronaldo is great and everything. But Amrabat has been the game’s best player for me.

61` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: It was a tougher chance than it looked like. He was off balance and had to strike it with his weaker foot

60` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Skandha: How on earth did Benatia miss that?!

60` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

The chances are coming thick and fast for Morocco now. From a set-piece, the ball falls kindly for Benatia in the box but he shanks his volley way off target.

59` Portugal 1-0 Portugal

Bernardo Silva off as Santos looks to shake things up. FC Sporting’s Gelson Martins is his replacement. Morocco have slowly grown in this half to lay siege on Portugal’s goal. Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates are living dangerously.

57` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: Well scratch that. A phenomenal save from Patricio and Morocco are starting to look threatening. Set piece after set piece. This is exciting. I’m changing my earlier statement-it’s a 1-1 draw for me

56` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

And just as Skandha rues Morocco’s lack of scoring opportunities, Herve Renard’s men twice come to levelling. First Belhands looks to curl on in from a cutback from Amrabat but Patricio saves. The new Wolves signing does one better a minute later when Ziyach’s free-kick is flicked on towards the bottom corner by Belhanda but Patricio does incredibly well to get down low and palm it away. Morocco looking increasingly liking to score here.

54` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Portugal in control in the opening exchanges of this half. It has been a more open game than what Fernando Santos would like but Morocco’s insistence on attack means that there are plenty of opportunities to counter.

53` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Skandha: It’s strange. Morocco don’t look like scoring, but don’t deserve to lose

52` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Portugal have never lost a World Cup match in which they have been leading at half-time before today (P11 W9 D2 L0). Morocco have never previously won when trailing at the interval (P5 W0 D1 L4). Doesn’t look good for the African side.

52` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: Wow! Maybe Ronaldo is human after all.

51` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Quick free-kick taken long by Portugal and Joao Mario and Guedes combine on the left of the box. The West Ham gets to the byline and cuts it back to Guedes. With all the time in the world, Guedes shoots first time but it instead of going towards goal, it goes sideways. Ronaldo comes motoring into the box intending to rip the net open but somehow sends it row Z.

48` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Ananya: The second half hasn’t started nearly as excitingly as the first.

47` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Portugal win a corner and Moutinho plays it short to Bernardo who swings it in. Fonte climbs highest but his header is way off target.

2nd half begins

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal kick us off in the second-half.

Some more records from Mr Cristiano Ronaldo

Key stats:

👉 @Cristiano is the second #POR player to net at least four goals at a single #WorldCup after Eusébio (9) in 1966

👉 @Cristiano is in second place on the all-time international top scorer list behind Ali Daei (109 for Iran)#PORMAR pic.twitter.com/IhWxDBcEaA

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 20, 2018

Here’s what happened in the first-half

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 4th-minute goal has made the difference as Portugal lead Morocco 1-0 at halftime.

Ronaldo made European football history when he stooped to score with a powerful header from Joao Moutinho’s right-flank cross after a corner.

His 85th goal for Portugal broke a tie with Hungary great Ferenc Puskas as the most ever for a European national team. Only Ali Daei of Iran, who scored 109 international goals, is ahead of Ronaldo in the world list.

Ronaldo created a good scoring chance for Goncalo Guedes in the 39th but Morocco goalkeeper Monir El Kajoui stood tall and strong to beat out the shot.

Stat attack!

Take a look at the stats from the first-half

HT! Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Morocco have had a fantastic half and yet, they are on the brink of World Cup elimination. For the second game running, an inability to find the final pass is hurting the Atlas Lions. Portugal have been subdued, but occasional moments of brilliance from Ronaldo mean that Morocco has plenty of ground to cover in the second half.

45+2` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Amrabat chases down a long ball and wins a free-kick right next to the corner flag on the right. Can Morocco strike right at the end? Ziyach swings in the free-kick and Belhanda flicks it towards goal but it goes wide. Benatia could have had a touch and diverted the ball into gaol. So close from a deserved goal!

45` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Portugal have shifted from a 4-4-2 to a 4-2-3-1 this half. Mario is playing centrally now, behind Ronaldo, while Guedes is out left.

44` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

William slips and almost gifts possession to Belhanda. He somehow manages to recover but in the process, he accidentally slaps Belhanda who’s behind him, across the face.

41` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Skandha**:** Portugal’s defence appears to have woken up at last. The Moroccan attackers are no longer penetrating quite as easily.

Arnav: Instead, they’re starting to play a more patient game based on possession. It isn’t quite as entertaining though.

40` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

The game has slowed down, even as Morocco enjoy the bulk of possession. Portugal are slowly taking the sting out of the Moroccan resistance. The ploy nearly worked when Ronaldo released Guedes with a ball over the top. Munir El Kajoui, though, was equal to the effort

39` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

First attempt on target for Portugal in a long time. Ronaldo flicks the ball to Guedes who shoots. El Kajoui instinctively puts his hand out and pulls out a stunning save!

34` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Ahmadi tries his luck from a long way out but is close to 20 metres above his intended target.

31` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Oooh trouble for Morocco here as Portugal win a free-kick on the edge of the D. Ronaldo stands over it but the Moroccan wall clear it away.

29` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

A misplaced pass from Moutinho trundles out of play and it says a lot about how things are going for Portugal right now. They might be ahead but it is Morocco who are firmly on top. Most of the Moroccans’ attacks are coming from the right. One such foray saw a huge call for a penalty, but it was not deemed worthy of a video review. Renard wasn’t pleased, though, and he gets a talking-to from the ref for his outburst on the touchline

26` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: Already a penalty shout. Why am I not surprised.

26` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Amrabat and Guerreiro get into a tussle inside the box and Amrabat goes down appealing for a penalty. Nothing doing says the ref. Replays show that both players were tugging at each other’s shirt with Amrabat almost getting Guerreiro topless. Renard fuming and wants a penalty and the referee has a chat with the Moroccon coach.

24` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Ronaldo gets the ball in the middle of the pitch but is brought down by Benatia from behind. He escapes sanction even as Ronaldo continues rolling around.

22` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Ziyach has a go from distance but Patricio gathers comfortably. Morocco are pressing high up the pitch and are winning the midfield battles. Ronaldo the only Portuguese man in the Moroccan half.

19` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Despite conceding early, Morocco are creating good chances with Ziyach, Boutaib and Amrabat looking dangerous going forward for Morocco.

17` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Morocco’s pace is causing plenty of problems for Portugal. It certainly has not been a subdued reaction to the early goal from Renard’s players.

13` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

2 - Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first Portugal player since José Torres in 1966 to score a goal with his right foot, left foot and head in a single World Cup tournament. Collection. #POR #MAR #PORMAR #Ronaldo #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/liZrUSyXmq

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 20, 2018

11` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Arnav: The way this tournament’s been going, there’s a fair chance that Ronaldo will get a penalty and pull further away from his rivals. Unlike a particular player I seem to be thinking of, Ronaldo scores his penalties.

10` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

The Atlas Lions have actually fielded a 4-1-4-1 formation with Karim El Ahmadi playing as a deep anchorman. In offence, it is working as Morocco can push forward in numbers. However, the spectre of Ronaldo looms large.

9` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Another record falls

Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored 85 international goals; more than any other European player in the history of international football.

Legendary status confirmed. pic.twitter.com/qCuhdoDvqB

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 20, 2018

8` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Ronaldo comes close to netting his fifth of the campaign as he pulls the trigger but his shot narrowly misses the goal.

7` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Ananya: Messi, Neymar and other stars must be worried. They are really going to have to up their game if they’re to keep up with CR-7

6` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Skandha: Ronaldo. Of course it had to be Ronaldo. The man just can’t be stopped.

5` Portugal 1-0 Morocco

Morocco had started brightly but it takes four minutes for Ronaldo to puncture their enthusiasm. A diving header from the man who cannot stop scoring.  He sensed indecision in the Morocco half and took full advantage of it

4` Cristiano Ronaldo scores!

Who else but Ronaldo to score for Portugal! Brilliant cross from Moutinho and Ronaldo stoops in to put in a bullet header past the keeper! Goal No 4 for the Portuguese captain.

2` Portugal 0-0 Morocco

A lively start from the Moroccans. They have had most of the possession and register their first attempt as Boutaib gets his head to Ziyach’s cross but he can’t get his head on target.

Kick off!

Morocco get us underway at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow!

The teams are out!

pic.twitter.com/uBnP0ebCC9

— Priyansh (@Privaricate) June 20, 2018

Ominous

3 - Cristiano Ronaldo had scored three goals from 70 shots in his previous three World Cup tournaments combined for Portugal (2006, 2010 and 2014) – at the 2018 World Cup, he has scored three goals from just four shots. Aim. #WorldCup #POR #PORMAR pic.twitter.com/1oO2BGV0gz

— OptaJoao (@OptaJoao) June 20, 2018

Do or Die game for Morocco

Do or die game for Morocco after the defeat to Iran in the opening match. Although the Moroccans did not play badly last Friday, Renard seems to be keen to field his players in their usual positions today. The starting lineup suggests Hakim Ziyech will be on the left, while Nordin Amrabat will be pushed up to his natural position on the right side of midfield. The return of Nabil Dirar should mean that Morocco has plenty of thrust from the fullbacks as Achraf Hakimi will take charge of the left flank.

Team news for Morocco

Herve Renard strings in the changes for Morocco. Nabil Dirar, Khalid Boutaib, Manuel da Costa start. The suggestion is that Morocco will field a 4-2-3-1 system

Portugal take on Morocco

One change for Portugal today as João Mario returns to the side, in Bruno Fernandes’ place. The team should line up in a 4-4-2 formation again

Morocco’s starting XI

Mohamedi; Dirar, Da Costa, Benatia, Hakimi; El Ahmadi; Boussoufa, Belhanda, Ziyech, Harit; Boutaib.

Here’s Portugal’s starting line-up: 

Patricio; Cedric, Pepe, Fonte, Guerreiro; Carvalho; Silva, Moutinho; Mario, Guedes, Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Co face Morocco test

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Group B FIFA World Cup match between Portugal and Morocco.

We will bring you all the updates from the match so stay tuned to our blog.