Morocco came into this game thinking they have overachieved, they came to the match knowing they were not the ones under pressure. They knew they were the underdogs, but even underdogs can bite. Just one bite and the giant will crawl. That was exactly what happened.
Portugal started the game with almost the same team that rolled over Switzerland as though they didn't even exist. They put 6 past the Swiss, brushed them by and rolled the round leather into a net that seemed wider than the usual. On this evening, however, against the Atlas Lions of Morocco, they found their tactics and strategies not enough.
Even their vast array of attacking talents - Sylva, Ramos, Felix, Fernandes, Leao and the greatest of them all, greater than even Eusebio and Figo combined, Cristiano Ronaldo - could not conjure something special against Bono.
Make no bones about this, the Moroccans are no pushovers. They had taken scalps from the balding Belgium Brains and the budding boots of Spain before today. And to complete a clean sweep of Iberia, they needed just one clinical glancing header from El Nesyri in the 42nd minute.
The Portuguese stars refused to shine as their galaxy could not cast a spell across the height of the Atlas Mountain. The Lions trudged and traipsed while their more illustrious opponents laboured for long periods, knocking on an impenetrable door.
They carried the burden of history and the expectation of over 1 billion African people and over 400 million Arabs around the world. Never underestimate the size of their achievement; no African country ever won a quarter final match at the FIFA World Cup, not even Milla's Cameroun in Italia '90, Diouf's Senegal in Korea/Japan 2002 or even more recently, Gyan's Ghana in South Africa 2010. This is one for the history books and a priceless memorabilia from the first World Cup in the sands.
Today is their day, today is their landmark. The streets of Rabat and Marakech will dance all night while from Lisbon to Madeira, the mood will be gloom and doom.
The tears of Ronaldo are a testament to the great disappointment of Portugal and a personal outing for him. The twilight of his career is becoming worse than we all thought, but that will do nothing on the records he has set and the mark he has left on the beautiful game. He is certainly one of the greatest to ever kick a football.
Congratulations Morocco, congratulations Africa and the entire Arab World. Football is being redefined and Africa is rising!
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