Morocco vs Portugal LIVE: Latest World Cup 2022 updates

In the quarter-final for Portugal, Otavio kicks and the ball is returned to Ruben Dias in the back line. He encourages his team to push the pitch before elevating it to Goncalo Ramos.

The forwards can’t get it under control and Morocco take over.

Portugal’s last appearance in a World Cup semi-final was in 2006. Can they once again reach the final four today?

The light show ends and the players walk out onto the pitch before the national anthem and kick off.

Portugal’s 12 goals in this tournament have been scored by eight different players, the most by different scorers at a single World Cup.

Fernando Santos’ men look dangerous and will be tough opponents for Morocco today.

The 37-year-old forward started each of Portugal’s three matches in the group stage but was reportedly ruled out for the knockout stage due to a reaction from a substitute in a 2-1 defeat to South Korea.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) this week dismissed speculation that Ronaldo had threatened to quit the country’s World Cup camp after being left out of the starting line-up, with Santos explaining his side of the story.

Morocco have kept three clean sheets in four matches at the 2022 World Cup, the most by an African side in a single edition of the tournament.

Everything seems to be falling in place for Walid Regragui’s team to achieve something remarkable in this tournament.

Morocco is seeking to become the first African team to qualify for the semi-finals of a World Cup tournament.

Each of the last three African teams to reach the quarter-finals were eliminated at this stage: Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.

Will Morocco be the first African country to reach the semi-finals?

Last time out against Switzerland, Portugal’s Goncalo Ramos became the first player since Miroslav Klose in 2002 to score a hat-trick on his first World Cup debut.

Can he add to his World Cup tally today?

Fans are ready for this. Will Morocco continue their impressive campaign or will Portugal take a step closer to the World Cup final?

This will be the third meeting between Morocco and Portugal, with the previous two coming at the World Cup.

Morocco won the first 3–1 in a group stage clash in 1986, before Portugal won 1–0 at the 2018 tournament, where they also shared a group.

Who will win today’s game?

The implications of Morocco’s success in this tournament are immense for the African nation.

The country’s official airline is launching seven additional flights from Morocco to Qatar in a bid to accommodate more fans for the biggest football match in the country’s history.

The Al Thumama Stadium will be packed with Moroccan fans this afternoon.