Africa’s only Country in the 2022 World Cup campaign, Morocco, gets to play there first ever semifinals against Portugal.
With multiple injury concerns looming over key players, Morocco prepares to take on a free-flowing Portugal team in their first-ever World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday.
Coach Walid Regragui has so far chosen a pretty stable starting XI in Qatar, counting on the Atlas Lions’ tenacious rearguard to keep some of Europe’s most illustrious footballing nations at bay.
But against Spain, defensive stalwarts Nayef Aguerd and Romain Saiss—the latter of whom also serves as team captain—both suffered injuries, and the loss of either would deal a significant blow to efforts to contain new goalscoring wonder Goncalo Ramos and company.
Even more concerning, midfield pivot Sofyan Amrabat has been playing through pain due to a back issue that necessitates painkiller injections. Amrabat has attracted plenty of admiring glances from clubs throughout a stellar season thus far.
If that were not enough, both full-backs picked up knocks earlier in the finals, but penalty shootout hero Achraf Hakimi and Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui are still expected to start.
Sampdoria star Abdelhamid Sabiri is perhaps closest to breaking in to an established first XI, but Selim Amallah is favourite to join Azzedine Ounahi and Amrabat in the Moroccan engine room.
Up front, Youssef En-Nesyri has found the net twice so far, and will aim to become the first man to score three World Cup goals for Morocco. The Sevilla striker spearheads a front line also featuring Sofiane Boufal and Chelsea’s mercurial playmaker Hakim Ziyech – perhaps Regragui’s most creative player – while Barcelona youngster Abde Ezzalzouli is available on the bench.
Morocco possible starting lineup: Bounou; Hakimi, Saiss, Aguerd, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal
How Portugal Could line up against Morocco
Portugal’s Qatar 2022 campaign continues on Saturday at Al Thumama Stadium after they advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals by using an exciting new-look attack.
The Selecao will take against the Atlas Lions of Morocco next, and coach Fernando Santos may choose to stick with the starting lineup from the midweek 6-1 rout of Switzerland. Naturally, that would mean that captain and all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo would once again be limited to a brief appearance from the bench.
His replacement on Tuesday night was prolific Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, who rattled in a sublime hat-trick on his full international debut and now starts up front instead.
Understandably, given the hype surrounding their celebrated skipper’s demotion to mere bit-part player, Joao Cancelo’s omission against the Swiss was less remarked upon, but the Manchester City star may find himself joining Ronaldo on the sidelines again.
Santos favoured Raphael Guerreiro on the left side of a back four also featuring Diogo Dalot on the right flank, with Ruben Dias and gnarled veteran Pepe teaming up in the centre. Though Danilo stepped back into defence earlier in the finals, the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder remains an injury doubt.
Meanwhile, Ruben Neves battles it out with current incumbents Otavio and William Carvalho for a slot in central midfield, but the advanced roles of Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva are undisputed.
The mercurial Joao Felix completes Portugal’s forward line, while Joao Mario and Milan winger Rafael Leao – Serie A’s Player of the Season last term – offer Santos alternatives if events are not going to plan during the second half. One ‘CR7’ should also come into the equation then, too.
Portugal possible starting lineup: Costa; Dalot, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro; B. Silva, Carvalho, Otavio; Fernandes, Ramos, Felix
