JUST WIDE! A glaring miss by Pepe surely ends Portugal's hopes! Arriving at the back post, the veteran centre-back plants his header wide from close range, following Leao's cross from the left!
90' +5
In sheer desperation, Cancelo sends a long, straight ball straight out of play. That's a goal-kick for Morocco, as the clock ticks down.
90' +3
W. Cheddira gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
OFF! A clumsy challenge on Joao Felix sees Cheddira receive his second yellow card, and the substitute striker is sent off! Morocco are down to 10 men, with five minutes of stoppage time to go!
90' +1
W. Cheddira gets yellow.
For a rugged aerial challenge on Pepe, substitute Cheddira is booked by the referee.
Rather unconvincingly, Cheddira drags a low shot wide of the right post after another counter-attack.
89'
Portugal's players look disconsolate, as Joao Felix and Fernades are on different wavelengths and waste possession inside the final third. It's a goal-kick for Morocco, who are within a hair's breadth of creating history!
87'
Vitinha gets yellow.
Vitinha catches Ounahi as the Morocco midfielder attempts a volleyed clearance from the edge of the box. The referee sees fit to issue a booking.
85'
Again, the jeers and whistles reach a deafening crescendo, as Morocco's fans attempt to repel Portugal's relentless advance through sheer sound alone! To rapturous cheers, Dari then clears his lines with a header from deep inside the area.
82'
Y. Jabrane enters the game and replaces S. Boufal.
Z. Aboukhlal enters the game and replaces H. Ziyech.
A tired Boufal is also withdrawn by Regragui, as Jabrane is introduced for the closing stages.
Soon after going down injured and then making a brief recovery, Ziyech is replaced; Aboukhlal comes on in his place.
80'
Following a long wait to be allowed back on, Ziyech resumes his role as part of Morocco's resistance.
Minute
Description
79'
Ricardo Horta enters the game and replaces Diogo Dalot.
Santos rolls the dice again, as Dalot makes way for Horta.
77'
Ounahi misplaces a pass for Boufal in the final third, thereby ending Morocco's latest counter-attack. But with Ziyech down injured an apparently requiring treatment, another stoppage will at least kill valuable time.
75'
For perhaps the 100th time in these finals, Amrabat breaks up an opposition attack deep inside his own half; springing Ounahi on the counter. At the end of a rapid break, Cheddira is unable to bring the ball under his control in the area, and Portugal escape. They simply can't concede again.
74'
Cancelo turns sweetly on the left flank and earns Portugal's second corner in quick succession, as the Iberians turn the heat up another notch. It's relentless pressure now!
72'
After Silva can't make sufficient contact on a Fernandes free-kick from the left touchline, Morocco temporarily get the ball away. However, the white shirts of Portugal soon enough descend again; penning back the entire Moroccan XI inside their defensive third.
70'
A. Dari gets yellow.
For lunging recklessly into a tackle on Leao on the right flank, substitute Dari is shown the game's first yellow card.
69'
Vitinha enters the game and replaces Otávio.
Rafael Leão enters the game and replaces Gonçalo Ramos.
A switch in midfield sees Vitinha replace Otavio for the final 20 minutes of the 90.
By contrast with his incredible impact against Switzerland, Ramos has endured a frustrating shift today. He now makes way for powerful winger Leao up front.
67'
For all Portugal's pressure, the Atlas Lions do not look like yielding. They are within touching distance of becoming Africa's first-ever World Cup semi-finalists - but can they hold on?
65'
B. Benoun enters the game and replaces Y. En-Nesyri.
W. Cheddira enters the game and replaces S. Amallah.
Having scored a potentially history-making goal during the first half, En-Nesyri is now replaced by Benoun.
Regragui makes his first tactical change, as Amallah makes way for the fresh legs of Cheddira.
62'
Ramos just can't get a touch on Fernandes' latest ball over from the right flank, which zips across the Moroccan six-yard box without anyone making contact.
60'
Fernandes lofts a free-kick from a central position into the box, but one of numerous red-shirted Morocco defenders heads the ball away to relative safety. No matter the personnel, Regragui's side seem to defend with heart and head in equal measure.
57'
A. Dari enters the game and replaces R. Saïss.
Due to a recurrence of Saiss' injury, Dari comes on to slot into Morocco's back four.
55'
Ounahi gets underneath a shot from outside the box and rather rashly sends it spiralling over the crossbar. Nonetheless, its a sign that Morocco can still prove a threat on the break.
53'
With Ronaldo now partnering Ramos up front, Portugal's intent is clear: they are not willing to depart these finals without a fight! They are in the ascendancy, but are surely vulnerable to the counter.
51'
João Cancelo enters the game and replaces Raphaël Guerreiro.
Cristiano Ronaldo enters the game and replaces Rúben Neves.
Santos has seen enough, and calls for the cavalry. First, Guerreiro makes way for Cancelo at left-back.
Portugal's second substitution sees Neves replaced by Ronaldo, who makes his 22nd World Cup appearance and a men's international record overall.
48'
The second half starts with a period of Portuguese pressure, but Hakimi eases his team clear of trouble by racing down the right touchline at top speed; earning a free-kick.
46'
Morocco kick off, and we are back under way at Al Thumama Stadium!
45' +3
HALF-TIME: MOROCCO 1-0 PORTUGAL
45' +2
In a wild ending to the first half, Fernandes goes down claiming a penalty - the referee is not interested - before Ounahi releases Attiyat-Allah down the left, on the counter. The full-back then stabs a hurried attempt wide of the near post, in the last major act of the half.
42'
Y. En-Nesyri has scored a goal for Morocco! Assist by Y. Attiat-Allah.
Attiyat-Allah's lofted cross from the left wing picks out En-Nesyri to head home the game's opening goal.
MOROCCO LEAD! At the third time of asking, En-Nesyri strikes! Having missed two earlier headed chances, the Sevilla striker leaps brilliantly to beat Costa to a cross from the left by Attiyat-Allah. He nods the ball into the back of the unguarded net; putting the Atlas Lions 1-0 ahead just before the break!
39'
With an ambitious attempt to steer in a first-time finish, Joao Felix flicks a shot over the crossbar from Guerreiro's left-wing cross. Perhaps taking a touch would have been the better option there.
38'
As Morocco's momentum grows, Portugal are glad to receive a free-kick in midfield for a minor foul by Boufal on Otavio, who took the former's arm in the face.
36'
Morocco continue to take more chances in the final third, as Boufal scuds a low shot towards the centre of Costa's goal from outside the area. The goalkeeper is more than equal to it, though, and gathers the ball low down.
35'
After Attiyat-Allah reaches the left byline and cuts the ball back towards the six-yard box, Amallah diverts his cross wide of the near post with a wayward shot.
33'
Remarkably, losing two key components of their almost impregnable back four appears to have had little impact on Morocco today. They continue to defend determinedly and with a clear sense of purpose.
28'
The whistles grow ever louder, as Portugal again assume control of the ball for an extended spell. Yet, they have rarely threatened Morocco's goal.
24'
A brief flare-up of tempers is quickly quelled, after Bounou takes contact from Fernandes in an aerial challenge. Once the goalkeeper accepts the Portuguese midfielder's apology, he then clears his lines from a free-kick inside the area.
22'
After Ziyech wins a corner on the right, the Chelsea winger slings over a cross to the near post, which Fernandes heads behind for another corner-kick. Morocco have certainly shown some intent to get forward when the opportunity arises.
20'
Ramos, perhaps growing a little frustrated at a lack of service so far, fells Boufal deep inside the Morocco half and concedes an unnecessary free-kick.
18'
Cutting in from the right flank at speed, Ziyech drifts past two defenders and lashes a low shot a yard wide of the right-hand post from 20 yards.
17'
After a surprisingly open start to proceedings, a more scrappy phase of the game ensues, with neither side able to keep the ball or build any sustained attacking momentum.
13'
After Amrabat brings down Otavio 30 yards out from goal, Neves then meets the cross from Fernandes' free-kick with a header before the ball breaks loose to Guerreiro. The full-back lets fly with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, but sees it blocked and Morocco ultimately bundle the ball away.
11'
Alert to the danger, Costa rushes off his line to sweep up a low throughball from Boufal for Amallah, who breaks into the box from midfield but can't make clean contact in time.
9'
Joao Felix almost escapes on the left-hand side of the area, but his loose touch when trying to trap a sweeping crossfield ball allows Hakimi to intervene.
3'
A chorus of whistles rings around the stadium as the Moroccan fans object to an early spell of Portuguese possession. The Selecao are carefully keeping the ball inside their own half.
1'
Clad in all-white, Portugal kick off - and we are under way in Qatar!
Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's World Cup quarter-final clash between Morocco and Portugal at Al Thumama Stadium!
Having blazed a trail for both Arab and North African football during their run to the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022, today Morocco aim to reach the final four. The Atlas Lions bravely held off Spain in the last 16; winning on penalties to reach this stage for the very first time. Walid Regragui's well-drilled side had already beaten established European opposition, Croatia and Belgium, to finish first in Group F and have now kept six clean sheets in their last seven matches. Can such solidity now help them become Africa's first World Cup semi-finalists?
After slaying Switzerland 6-1 in the last 16, Portugal arrive in the quarter-finals on the crest of a wave. Euro 2016-winning coach Fernando Santos took the bold decision to drop captain Cristiano Ronaldo, and the veteran's fresh-faced replacement Goncalo Ramos was the Selecao's hat-trick hero on Tuesday. Previously Group H winners, Portugal are aiming to take one more step towards lifting the World Cup for the first time, having been beaten semi-finalists back in 1966. Victory today would seem them meet either England or France in the final four.
SUBS: Rui Patricio, Jose Sa, Joao Palhinha, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andre Silva, William Carvalho, Rafael Leao, Vitinha, Joao Mario, Joao Cancelo, Ricardo Horta, Matheus Nunes, Antonio Silva.
After rousing renditions of both national anthems, the players are taking up their positions at Al Thumama Stadium, and kick-off is now just moments away!
After En-Nesyri became the first Moroccan to score three times in a World Cup finals - and from just three shots on target in the competition to date - his team are in pole position to reach the semi-finals. The North African nation have also won each of their last three World Cup matches when leading at half-time, dating back to 1970.
That's all from Al Thumama today, so thank you for joining us and goodbye!
The latest member of the European establishment to become victims of Morocco at these finals, Portugal painfully exit the World Cup. While surely bringing the curtain down on the international careers of Pepe and Ronaldo, their new generation has at least shown enough promise to target victory at Euro 2024. Meanwhile, their quarter-final conquerors march on!
Commentary
More…