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Moscow
Cristiano Ronaldo will attempt to follow up his World Cup opening game heroics for Portugal against a Morocco side licking its wounds after a crushing last-gasp defeat.
A hat-trick from the five-time world player of the year snatched a thrilling 3-3 draw for the European champion against Spain in a heavyweight Group B showdown in Sochi. It was Ronaldo’s 51st career hat-trick, and the 51st in the tournament’s history.
Despite lifting the trophy at Euro 2016, Portugal is not widely viewed as among the favourite in Russia but can take a big step towards the last 16 with a victory over Morocco in Moscow on Wednesday. It will be just the second meeting between the two countries after Morocco beat Portugal 3-1 in the group stage at the 1986 finals.
Morocco did not concede a single goal in the final qualifying round as it sealed a return to the World Cup for the first time in 20 years, but its knockout hopes hang by a thread after a 95th-minute own goal by Aziz Bouhaddouz against Iran.
Herve Renard’s men face a monumental challenge, with games to come against Portugal and Spain, but midfielder Faycal Fajr is adamant all is not lost for the Atlas Lions. “If I said that we don’t believe we can qualify it would be a lie,” said Fajr, one of 17 players born abroad in Morocco’s 23-man squad. “I could throw out some examples, like the Argentina draw (1-1 with Iceland). Where there’s a will there’s a way. (The Portuguese) have two feet, two legs and they are humans like us.”
“We lost a battle but we haven’t lost the war. We’re not dead,” he added. Renard lamented that Morocco was “crucified by our own errors” in the loss to Iran, but the Frenchman is used to defying the odds, having led outsider Zambia to a surprise triumph at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
He then became the first coach to win the continental title with two different teams three years later, guiding the Ivory Coast to glory. Morocco will need Renard to conjure up more magic to prevent an early exit, although Fajr says the mood in the camp remains positive.
“Even after the defeat, the atmosphere was terrific,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for 20 years, all Moroccans have been waiting for this for 20 years. We’re one big family.”
- Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick in the 3-3 draw against Spain took his tally for Portugal to 84 goals in 151 international appearances.
- Portugal’s two central defenders in the match against Spain, Jose Fonte and Pepe, have a combined age of 69. Bruno Alves, its other main option in that position, is 36.
- Because of a single appearance for Spain against Macedonia in 2014, when he played less than 15 minutes, forward Munir El Haddadi is unable to play for Morocco. FIFA rules bar players from changing allegiance once they have taken part in a competitive international.
- Previous meetings: The two sides have met once before in the 1986 World Cup, with Morocco winning 3-1.
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