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Portugal-Morocco live: Andre Silva starts on bench, Spurs target makes it into starting XI

Portugal-Morocco live: Andre Silva starts on bench, Spurs target makes it into starting XI

Portugal and Morocco are set to lock horns with each other in their second game of the FIFA World Cup 2018 group stage game at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. A defeat for Morocco could mean that they well be knocked out, but a win for Portugal will help them edge close to a spot in the knockout stages. You can follow all of the action with us live here on Calciomercato.com.

MATCH PREVIEW


Morocco beat Portugal 3-1 in their only previous encounter, in the group stages of the 1986 World Cup. It was Morocco's first win at the tournament.

Portugal's only defeat against African opposition at the World Cup came against Morocco in 1986 (1-3) - they've won two and drawn one of their subsequent three games against them.

Portugal talisman Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Spain in their opening match, making him just the fourth player to score in four separate World Cup tournaments, after Uwe Seeler, Pele and Miroslav Klose. Cristiano Ronaldo has also scored in eight consecutive major tournaments (World Cup, European Championships, Copa America) for Portugal, the first player in history to do this - the previous record holder was Zizinho, who scored in seven consecutively.

Morocco's Aziz Bouhaddouz scored an own-goal against Iran in their opening match, becoming just the third substitute to score an own-goal in a World Cup match, after Laszlo Dajka in 1986 (Hungary v USSR) and Petit in 2006 (Portugal v Germany). Morocco have won three out of their last five games, while Portugal was managed to win just one out of their last five.

LIVE COMMENTARY

Portugal: Rui Patricio; Cédric, Pepe, Fonte, Raphael; B Silva, Carvalho, Moutinho, Joao Mario; Ronaldo, Guedes

Subs: Alves, M Fernandes, André Silva, Lopes, Ruben Dias. Ricardo, B Fernandes, Gleson, Rui, Quaresma Beto, Adrien Silva

Morocco: El Kajoui; Dirar, Benatia, Da Costa, Hakimi; El Ahmadi, Boussoufa; Amrabat, Belhanda Ziyach; Boutaib

Subs: Bounou, Mendyl, Saïss, El Kaabi, Harit, En Nesyri, Bouhaddouz, S Amrabat, Tagnaouti, Carcela, Ait Bennasser