On Tuesday, Morocco became only the fourth African nation to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Can the Atlas Lions take it one step further and qualify for the 2022 World Cup semis? Oddsmakers don’t think so. Instead, they see Portugal as the favorite in Saturday’s game.
Morocco vs Portugal Odds
Match-Winner
| Morocco | +450 |
| Draw | +250 |
| Portugal | -143 |
Goals Over/Under
| Over 2.5 | +120 |
| Under 2.5 | -149 |
*Odds taken from bet365 on Thursday, December 8.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar
- Date: Saturday, December 10, 2022
- Time: 10:00 AM ET
- How to Watch: FOX/Telemundo
Morale is High in Morocco’s Locker Room
After Morocco became the first Arab nation to qualify for the final 8 of the World Cup, the atmosphere in the Atlas Lions’ locker room is fantastic. Every Moroccan player is eager to get back on the pitch and give their utmost once again.
On Saturday, they’re squaring off against Portugal, a team that will probably control the match. The same, however, was the case with Spain, but Morocco managed to knock them out of the competition. Spain had 77% ball possession in the round of 16 match but failed to score a single goal. The game finished 0-0 and was decided by a penalty shootout.
Morocco’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou a.k.a. Bono was the hero of the game, saving all three of Spain’s penalties. He will have to put on at least the same level of performance on Saturday if his team is going to stand a chance against mighty Portugal.
No Ronaldo, No Problem
Portugal’s manager Fernando Santos decided to bench Cristiano Ronaldo in the game against Switzerland. CR7 started the game from the bench but later came in and put on a good performance. But it was nowhere as good as the performance of the man who took his place in the starting XI.
The player we’re talking about is Benfica’s 21-year-old forward Goncalo Ramos. It would be an understatement to say that Ramos impressed against Switzerland. He absolutely demolished the Swiss defense, scoring a hat-trick along the way – the first hat-trick of the 2022 World Cup.
The other three goals for Portugal were scored by Pepe, Rafael Guerreiro, and Rafael Leao. This was arguably the best performance of a team at the 2022 World Cup, both offensively and defensively. Knowing this, it’s no surprise bookies think of Portugal as an odds-on favorite against Morocco.
Morocco vs Portugal Prediction
In the round of 16, Portugal showed that they have so many weapons in their arsenal. They look great as a team, which is why it would really be a massive surprise if they didn’t beat Morocco. Plus, we doubt that the Atlas Lions have it in them to put on another great defensive performance after the one in the Spain game. And even if they do, Ramos and his teammates should still be able to find the net.
Picks: Portugal to win; over 2.5 goals