FIFA World Cup 2022: En-Nesyri scores winner goal Stops Ronaldo' Portugal, Morocco reach semi-finals, Player Ratings

Youssef En-Nesyri’s first-half header scores the winner goal as Morocco became the first-ever African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals in a stunning 1-0 victory over Portugal at Al Thumama Stadium, Qatar.

The Atlas Lions reached the quarter-finals for the very first time after a stunning penalty shootout upset of Spain, While the Cristiano Ronaldo replacement Goncalo Ramos destroyed Spaniard side with a First hat-trick in a 6-1 demolished Swiss Reds - and probably surpassed - only Brazil’s dominance seen so far.

En-Nesyri capitalised on Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa's error to score a historic goal for Walid Regragui's team and the entire African continent.

Ronaldo came off the bench in the 50th minute to tie the men's record for appearances in international games with 196, but he was unable to get his team back into the game.

Only a few minutes later, Bruno Fernandes, the captain of Portugal, came agonisingly close to tying the score, but his outstanding individual effort hit the crossbar.

Devastated by injuries, Morocco sat back for the majority of the second half and the closest they came to a goal was when Yassine Bounou brilliantly tipped over Joao Felix's drive.

Portugal's hopes of making the last four were dashed when Moroccan striker Walid Cheddira received a second yellow card in the eight minutes of extra time.

World Cup 2022 Fantasy football: Morocco vs Portugal: Player ratings

Portugal: Costa 5, Dalot 6, Pepe 6, Dias 6, Guerreiro 6, Otavio 6, Neves 5, Bernardo Silva 6, Bruno Fernandes 7, Goncalo Ramos 5, Joao Felix 6..

subs: Ronaldo 5, Leao 5, Vitinha 5, Joao Cancelo 5, Ricardo Horta N/A.

Morocco: Bono 9*, Hakimi 7, El Yamiq 7, Saiss 7, Attiyat Allah 8, Ounahi 7, Amrabat 8, Amallah 8, Ziyech 7, En-Nesyri 8, Boufal 7..

subs: Aboukhlal N/A, Ezzalzouli, Dari 6, Cheddira 5, Tagnaouti, El Khannous, Benoun 6, Jabrane N/A

Player of the Match - Yassine Bounou - Bono, MOR.

Morocco first-ever African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals, Dominance, Key Stats.

Africa is also rejoicing at finally having a nation advancing to the levels typically only reached by European or South American teams. Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) all reached the quarterfinals but got no further.

0 - Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score in all eight of his knockout stage appearances of his Five World Cups (inc. third place play-off), going 570 minutes without scoring and taking 27 shots in the process.