World Cup 2018: Ronaldo heads Portugal to 1-0 win over Morocco, becomes Europe’s highest goal-scorer

Cristiano Ronlado continued from where he had left against Spain, scoring in the 4th minute with a thumping header as Portugal closed in on qualificarion to thr knockout stages with a 1-0 win over Morocco at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Wednesday.

After matching Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas’ record with a fabulous hat-trick in the 3-3 draw against Spain, Ronaldo needed less than five minutes to become Europe’s all-time record goalscorer, hammering a Joao Moutinho corner to etch his name in the record books.

He now has 85 goals, one more than Puskas who led Hungary to the final in the 1954 World Cup before suffering a 2-3 loss to Western Germany at “The Miracle of Bern.”

Morocco though were superior on the night and despite the loss should hold their heads high. Not just did the “Lions of the Atlas” have more possession on the ball but also had more shots, coming the closest in the 57th minute when Younes Belhanda almost scored from a Nordin Amrabat cross, but Portugese goalkeeper Rui Patricio was well at hand, pulling off a blinder to keep his side ahead.

But it was not their only chance, with Morocco hitting four shots on target compared to Portugal’s two, whose only other hit came from striker Goncalo Guedes. It was in the 40th minute when Ronaldo found the on loan PSG forward with a sweet flick but the 21-year-old hit straight at Munir, with the goalkeeper sticking out a hand to his right, to keep the ball away from going in.

Incidentally, Guedes in the process became Portugal’s only second player after Ronaldo, to hit a shot on target this World Cup.

The defeat however meant Morocco might just become the first team to be knocked out if, as expected they lose to Spain on June 25. They will then head home without a point but it will not decide their future after what was a unlucky defeat to the European champions.

Hakim Ziyech, Belhanda, Amrabat and Karim El Ahmadi were all brilliant on the day for Morocco and created numerous opportunities, which their teammates just failed to put in.