Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute to continue Morocco's improbable run that has generated an outpouring of pride in the Arab world during the first World Cup to be staged in the Middle East.
Morocco became the first African country to reach the World Cup semifinals by beating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday, likely ending Cristiano Ronaldo's chances of ever winning soccer's biggest prize.
The five-time world player of the year is set to finish his career without capturing the World Cup or ever getting to the final. He headed right off the field after the final whistle and was crying as he walked down the tunnel.It is a seminal moment in World Cup history, with an African nation finally advancing to the levels typically only reached by European or South American teams. Cameroon , Senegal and Ghana all reached the quarterfinals but got no further.
Morocco's defense has yet to concede a goal by an opposition player at this year's World Cup - the only one it has allowed was an own-goal - and it stifled a Portugal team which beat Switzerland 6-1 in the last 16 to thrust itself among the favorites. Ronaldo, who will be 41 by the time of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, had been looking to reach the semifinals for only the second time after 2006.
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