Morocco vs Portugal - How to watch the historic Quarterfinal clash

Topics: FIFA World Cup, Morocco, Portugal, TV Schedules, TV Listings, Streaming Info

The African side and A Seleçao look for a place in the semis in what can already be named as a successful tournament for both sides.

Morocco and Portugal will lock horns at Al Thumama Stadium with a spot in the semi-finals available for the team who comes out on top.

It is safe to say that Morocco has been the true surprise of this World Cup. The African side won a group that included title contenders such as Belgium and Croatia, and their Round of 16 clash saw them claim an unexpected win against Spain, where goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as their hero with two saves out of three shots taken by the Spaniards in that penalty shootout.

Morocco has become the first team from Africa to reach the Quarter-finals since Ghana in 2010, but the Atlas Lions will want to change their continents' history with a win in this clash.

On the other hand, it would be accurate to name Portugal's run in the tournament as interesting, especially since the team has been forced to deal with extra attention from media outlets. A Seleçao claimed the top spot in Group H with wins against Ghana and Uruguay, while their last game ended in a 2-1 loss to South Korea. That loss did not seem to have an effect on Fernando Santos' men, as they bounced back in style with a 6-1 win over Switzerland in the Round of 16.

Speaking of the Portuguese side will always have to include a mention of Cristiano Ronaldo, and this time, there has been a lot of ink spent on writing about the 37-year-old footballer. The player has been dealing with quite a bit of pressure due to his shaky form, which has seen him being dropped from the starting lineup in the game against Switzerland. Now, reports close to the team suggest that CR7 could be dropped from the lineup against Morocco as well, especially after Gonçalo Ramos' performance against the Swiss.

Morocco have already made history with this run to the Quarter-finals, while Portugal are still far from making history in the tournament, as they would need to reach the final to call this their most successful performance in the competition's history. Will the Moroccan dream go on, or will A Seleçao reach the semis for the first time since 2006?

Here is a closer look at some key facts from this tie.

Morocco vs Portugal - Team news

Morocco enter this match on a high note after their Round of 16 win, but coach Walid Regragui may be forced to change his preferred lineup due to a couple of injury concerns. The first of those absences would be Nayef Aguerd, who left the game against Spain with a muscular problem. The other potential absence for the Atlas Lions would be none other than Roman Saïss, who raised a few red flags after reportedly dealing with a hamstring issue.

On the other hand, Portugal make it to this clash with extra attention placed on their squad selection, as coach Fernando Santos will face the dilemma of leaving Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in favor of Gonçalo Ramos, who scored a hat-trick against Switzerland in their previous game. Added to that, coach Santos will have to deal with Nuno Mendes' absence through injury, while Danilo Pereira remains a doubt for A Seleçao due to his physical issues.

Morocco vs Portugal - Head-to-head

This will be the third FIFA World Cup game between Morocco and Portugal. Curiously, those are the only meetings between these teams in history.
The first match between these teams took place in 1986. Back then, the clash was resolved with a 3-1 score for the Moroccan team.
The most recent FIFA World Cup match between Portugal and Morocco saw the Portuguese side claiming a one-nil victory.
Morocco's record against European teams in World Cup matches shows three wins, seven draws, and five losses. One of those draws ended in a win against Spain in the previous round.
Portugal's most recent game against African opposition took place on Matchday 1 of this World Cup. That game concluded with a 3-2 score in favor of the European side.
Morocco's coach Walid Regragui will face Portugal for the first time in his coaching career.
Portugal's boss Fernando Santos will face Morocco for the second time in his coaching career, with his other clash against the Atlas Lions taking place in the 2018 World Cup, where his team won one-nil.