UP went the decibels and up went the barricades as Portugal threw everything they had at Morocco.
Up went the tension as goalkeeper Bono made a fine save from Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe headed wide at the back post.
Off went Walid Cheddira, sent off in stoppage time as they hung on.
They had spent most of the second half camped inside their penalty box, repelling wave after wave of Portuguese attack, but there was no way through a defence as impenetrable as the Atlas Mountains.
They have conceded only once in five games in Qatar, and that was an own goal in a group win against Canada.
Here, they defended in numbers and they did it heroically.
Keeping Portugal at arm’s length during the nail-biting closing stages.
Just when it seemed impossible for the incessant din to become any more ear-splitting, the final whistle sounded and the Al Thumama Stadium erupted and Morocco, the first African team to reach the last four of the World Cup, celebrated.
Ronaldo made a swift exit, barely breaking his stride to exchange a handshake with boss Fernando Santos on his way down the tunnel.
It was not meant to end this way for him or for Portugal, who were punished for their lack of creativity going forward and a goal by Youssef En-Nesyri, who capitalised on a goalkeeping error three minutes before half time.
Morocco cut through on a diagonal move with Assedine Ounahi, carrying the ball forward through midfield, evading tackles, playing a one-two with Sofiane Boufal and finding Yahya Attiat-Allah wide.
His cross was high and Diogo Costa abandoned his goal iFn an attempt to command his area but En-Nesyri was up high and up early, and the Sevilla centre-forward was there first, across the ’keeper and Ruben Dias to head the ball into an open goal.
It was reward for the threat carried by Morocco whenever they went forward.
Also, for En-Nesyri, who caused the Portuguese problems with his movement and strength in the air.
He almost scored earlier when he lost his marker at a corner, climbed high but could not get high enough to keep his header down.
Another chance flashed over when, another good run, he mistimed a header from a free-kick by Hakim Ziyech.
Chelsea winger Ziyech dragged an effort wide from the edge of the penalty area, Selim Amallah fired over on a dangerous counter-attack and Boufal forced Costa into a save.
All this in a first half, when Portugal’s best chance fell to Joao Felix in the fifth minute.
Felix met a free-kick by Bruno Fernandes with a diving header and Morocco goalkeeper Bono, hero of the shootout against Spain, made a save as he dived to his left.
Felix went close twice more before the interval, although both difficult chances from outside the box. The first when he pounced on a poor headed clearance and went for goal.
His shot struck Jawad El-Yamiq and spun over.
Felix lifted another difficult chance over from a cross by Raphael Guerreiro and Fernandes hit the bar with a mishit cross, which almost caught out Bono, before the Portuguese descended into a pathetic sequence of tumbling and play-acting, at the end of the first half.
Otavio started it, falling down in the penalty area and then reacting when Achraf Hakimi came over to have a word.
Fernandes then crumbled to the ground as he chased a ball into the box with Hakimi in pursuit.
There was no intervention from the VAR, and it seemed to be a sign they were rattled by Morocco, and Portugal’s players surrounded the Argentinian referee at half-time.
Costa made some amends for his mistake with a save at the start of the second half to keep his team within a goal.
Ziyech produced another fabulous free-kick, whipped in towards the near post.
El-Yamiq reached it with a glancing header, but Costa stood firm and made a block.
Fernando Santos, in search of a way back into the tie, made an ambitious substitution, sending on Ronaldo in place of Ruben Neves, and leaving Bernardo Silva and Otavio — later replaced by Vitinha — to monitor central midfield, with two up front and two wingers.
It helped swing momentum towards his side. Goncalo Ramos, who scored a hat-trick when brought in to replace Ronaldo against Switzerland, had barely seen in the ball in the first half, but suddenly had a chance, heading wide from Otavio’s cross.
Fernandes flickered into the game, firing another over from distance and teasing passes into the penalty area.
Santos made more attacking changes, releasing Raphael Leao.
Morocco were pushed deeper towards their own goal and their defensive acumen was tested, but they stood firm.
This, despite, losing their captain Romain Saiss, who was carried off with a strapping on a thigh, and finishing with 10 men after Cheddira was sent off for his second yellow card.
But, still they hung on.
Portugal (4-3-3): Costa, Dalot (Horta 79), Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro (Cancelo 51); Otavio (Vitinha 69), Neves (Ronaldo 51), B Silva; Fernandes, Ramos (Leao 69), Felix.
Substitutes not used: Patricio, Sa; Palhinha, Andre Silva, Carvalho, Mario, Nunes, Antonio Silva.
Yellow card: Vitinha 87.
Manager: Fernando Santos.
Morocco (4-3-3): Bounou; Hakimi, El Yamiq, Saiss (Dari 57), Attiyat Allah; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah (Benoun 65); Ziyech (Aboukhlal 82), En-Nesyri (Cheddira 65), Boufal (Jabrane 82).
Substitutes not used: Mohamedi, Tagnaouti; Hamdallah, Zaroury, Sabiri, Chair, Ezzalzouli, El Khannouss.
Goals: En-Nesyri 42.
Red card: Cheddira 90+3.
Yellow cards: Dari 70, Cheddira 90+1, 90+3.
Manager: Walid Regragui. — Dailymail.
