End Of An Era For Ronaldo. Portugal In Tears Flew Out Of The World Cup

End Of An Era For Ronaldo. Portugal In Tears Flew Out Of The World Cup From The Incredible Team Of Morocco!

 

Cristiano left the 2022 World Cup before Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo was not included in the starting lineup of the Portuguese national team in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. If in the match of the 1/8 finals with Switzerland, his absence from the base caused the effect of an exploding bomb, now no one was surprised at the decision of head coach Fernando Santos. Well, maybe only the Ronaldo sisters and journalist Piers Morgan.

Not only Santos, but any fan understood that the Moroccans would not play open football with the Portuguese, like the Swiss. The Atlas Lions passed the ball to the opposition (only 34% possession in the first half) and defended tightly with a middle block.

Despite the fact that the defensive style of the team of Valid Regraga has not changed, it seemed that they kept the lines higher than in the match with Spain. And surprisingly calmly perepasovyvalsya was under pressure from the Portuguese in their own penalty area. Nevertheless, the individual level of players in Morocco is high enough for the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

The Portuguese sought to take the new opponent with the same weapons as the previous one. Mercury, the mobile midfield was supposed to create chances for attacking players, especially for the author of a hat-trick against the Swiss Goncalo Ramos. Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Felixsearched for the ball at different points changed positions and sometimes went deep.

The Portuguese could form a trio at the back with a center-half to play the ball – and the full-backs went up high. Or they saturated one side of the field, and on the other, they created free space, for example, for Felix. But the effect of all the actions of the Santos team was small. For a long time, both Portugal and Morocco only got moments on set pieces. Perhaps some fans of the Portuguese got bored. Watching such football after 6:1 was not much more interesting for them than watching an old woman knitting a sweater, quietly humming something under her breath.

And the Moroccans felt the moment when you can catch Portugal. What an amazing adjustment of players to each other in the Regraga team during counterattacks! If this is a bus, then it is creative – it not only travels along a given route but also chooses the road according to its mood. In the 42nd minute, the Atlas Lions brought the ball to the left flank of someone else’s penalty area with a group of players, and Youssef En-Nesiri scored from an absolutely amazing Ronaldo-style jump – goalkeeper Diogo Costa made a mistake on the exit. In the first half, the Moroccan national team generally surpassed Portugal in shots – 7:5 (on target – 2:1).

 

Santos became increasingly aware that without Cristiano, Portugal would not score. The more games in the last third, direct shots and diagonals, the more the team needs a player who can decide the episode in the penalty area with one touch. Although Ronaldo is no longer so good physically, the skills of a super scorer will never be lost. For some reason, during the break, the coach of the Portuguese did not change anything, but already in the sixth minute of the second half, the ex-striker of Manchester United appeared on the field. And along with him, and Joao Cancelo, whose absence from the base was also a surprise.

 

Ronaldo played a little in tandem with Ramos, and then the Benfica forward, who did not sparkle in today’s match, gave way to Rafael Leau. But even with 80% possession and a fresh attack, the Portuguese were no worse for the Moroccans than the Spaniards in the 1/8 finals. The game in the last half hour was in the same vein. Morocco is on the defensive, and Portugal is on the “blind” attack.

The Santos team could not see Bono’s gates behind the backs of the opponent’s defenders. For the first time, she hit the target in the second half only in the 83rd minute, when Cristiano created an opportunity for Felix with a thin pass – the goalkeeper of the Morocco national team, as usual at this World Cup, dragged.

In the very end, Ronaldo himself found his chance, great opening up behind the backs of the defenders for a transfer from the depths. But, jumping out to a lethal position, he shot badly – right into the hands of Bono. The Moroccans finished the match with ten men after the removal of striker Walid Heddira, who unsuccessfully replaced him, for two yellow cards. However, Portugal was in a hurry and did not use its numerical advantage. The last moment ruined Pepe.

In the second half, the Portuguese struck only seven shots and hit the target only twice (Morocco had two hits, one on target). The Regraga team continues to amaze the world! The Moroccans reached the semi-finals, having conceded only one goal in the entire tournament. Yes, and it was scored by themselves in the match with Canada. Cristiano left the field in tears – apparently, this was his last match at the last world championship in his career.

 

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