The fate of the Morocco national team after a World Cup semi-final defeat to the world’s greatest player: Fernando Regragui and Miroslav Klose
In Morocco’s way of more history is a Portuguese side that looked, for the first time under Fernando Santos, to be fully unshackled and playing to its attack potential as it thrashed Switzerland 6-1.
The Moroccans have the meanest defense at the competition, conceding only a single own goal so far. Despite having the most difficult run to the last eight of any of the quarterfinalists – playing fellow quarterfinalist Croatia, Belgium and 2010 World Cup champion Spain along the way – only Argentina has conceded less shots than the Atlas Lions.
When teams get shots off, they have to contend with Bono. The Sevilla keeper has not conceded a goal to an opposition player in over 300 minutes of football, including a penalty shootout where he saved two penalties.
After several of its players were injured against Spain and a lengthy fixture list which included matches against some of the highest ranked countries in the world, Morocco is down to its bare bones. But that will not dampen the team’s spirit or ambition.
When asked about making a run deep into the tournament, head coach Regragui said, “At some point in Africa, we have to be ambitious and why not win the World Cup?”
But in order to realize the team’s potential, Santos made the hardest decision of his career, dropping the nation’s greatest ever player, Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite his glittering career and a title as the greatest goalscorer international football has ever seen (118 goals in 194 caps), there are signs that age is finally catching up with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
His replacement, who was making his first career start for the national team, took his chance with ease, and he was one of the most famous athletes in the world.
The 21-year-old Benfica striker scored three goals to help Portugal dominate the Swiss. Miroslav Klose, the all-time World Cup leader in goals, was the last player to score three on his World Cup debut.
There are other players who have been freed by the absence of Portugal’s greatest player. Bruno Félix looked like a guy who would take up the torch from him, while he was at his best, his former Manchester United teammate.
The only goal of the World Cup group stage game was scored byRonaldo and it was the last time the teams faced each other.
The biggest match of the round is France against England, a game that could see the defending World Cup champion lose in its bid to retain the title.
Despite both sides featuring some of the world’s best players, eyes inevitably turn to Kylian Mbappé. The forward has been superb this tournament. He has scored five goals in just three starts so far, already surpassing his total from 2018.
“England will have prepared Kylian, but he is in a good position to make the difference,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “We have other players, but Kylian is Kylian and he can make the difference.”
Behind the front three is Atlético man Antoine Griezmann, who after a difficult few seasons looks to be the player that took both Euro 2016 and the World Cup.
There is nothing close to what John Stones and Harry Maguire have been able to do in the English defense so far.
The Three Lions and Portugal are the top scoring teams. They won their previous two matches 3-0, and for the first time this century, come into this match with more depth in their team than their opponents who have been hampered by a host of injuries.
Even though they aren’t guaranteed a starting spot and Jordan Henderson wasn’t sure if he’d even start, they both have three goals a piece. The captain added to the balance of the team by scoring the opener.
The titans of the World Cup: France and England in the semifinals after a 2-1 win over England at the BSLAC stadium
France will return to the World Cup semifinals in back-to-back tournaments after a thrilling and nerve-wracking 2-1 win over England.
It was the titans against each other. Both teams made the semifinals of the last World Cup in Russia four years ago. France’s Kylian Mbappé was the leading scorer at the tournament with five goals but he was mostly silent in this contest, as France continued their dominating performance at the tournament.
France responded in the 78th minute. After receiving another pass into the box by Griezmann, romain leapt up to head the ball into the English net. The goal adds to Giroud’s all-time scoring lead for France.
In the 84th minute, England missed a golden chance to even the game again. Harry Kane lined up for his second penalty kick of the game – but this time he struck it high above the cross bar.
England held the ball for the entire game. They had more passes, more crosses and twice as many shots. It did not matter for France. This century, no defending world champion had gone beyond the quarterfinals.