Morocco vs Portugal (1-0): Morocco are through to the FIFA World Cup semi-finals, becoming the first African team at this advanced stage, after a battling 1-0 win over Portugal.
Morocco qualify for the last four with a hard-fought 1-0 victory
Youssef En-Nesyri’s tremendous header the match-winner
The Atlas Lions will face either England or France in the semi-finals
Morocco will become the first African team to compete in the FIFA World Cup™ semi-finals after a courageous, backs-to-the-wall 1-0 victory over Portugal at Al Thumama Stadium.
Youssef En-Nesyri was the hero for the injury-hit Atlas Lions with a superb first-half header that continued the team’s fairy tale run at Qatar 2022.
The Moroccans were always going to be overwhelming outsiders against the star-studded Seleção das Quinas, and their odds lengthened yet further ahead of kick-off with the news that key defenders Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui had both been ruled out with injury.
Worse still, wounded warrior Romain Saiss – another stalwart at the back – attempted to play but was eventually forced off in tears early in the second half, clutching his heavily strapped hamstring. But although that left the Moroccans holding on against their heavyweight European rivals, hold on they did.
Portugal had their moments either side of half-time, with Bruno Fernades rattling the bar, Yassine Bounou producing some superb saves to deny Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo, and Pepe heading wide in stoppage time when it seemed easier to scorer.
But the Atlas Lions could also have scored more than that solitary, all-important El-Nesyri header, and no-one can question that this team – fresh from boosting their tournament-leading defensive record with yet another clean sheet – are well worth their place in the last four.
Watch Morocco vs Portugal (1-0) at Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup
They will, however, compete in that semi-final without Walid Cheddira, who picked up two yellow cards inside 60 seconds to earn himself a 93rd-minute dismissal, further weaking Regragui’s options for Wednesday’s historic encounter.
Key moment
There will be better goals scored at this World Cup than En-Nesyri’s. It is unlikely, however, that there will be one scored from a mightier leap – one that Ronaldo, benched again, would undoubtedly have been proud of – than that produced by the Morocco striker.
Diogo Costa will not want to watch it back, having made an ill-advised rush from goal in a vain attempt to reach a long, speculative cross. But all credit goes to the centre-forward for a perfectly timed jump and powerful header that sparked scenes of joy far beyond this rocking stadium.
Key stat
Morocco had come the the fourth African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, following in the footsteps of Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010). No-one from the Mother Continent, however, had ever made it to the last four – until now!
Player of the match
Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
Quotes
“It’s really, really, really unbelievable. I’m so proud. We deserve this 1000 per cent. That’s just how we fight and how play, with our heart, for our country and for our people. We had some injuries and to have three defenders go in and defend like that, big respect. Big respect for everybody – for the fans, for the coach, for everyone.”
Sofyan Amrabat, Morocco midfielder
“The locker room is really down. We are devastated. I was sure that with the work and the quality of the players that we could have given the Portuguese people some joy – that we could have made it to the final and won it. That’s why I and everyone else is devastated.”
Fernando Santos, Portugal coach
“I’ve always believed in Youssef [En Nesyri]. Even Moroccan journalists criticised me when I defended him, but he’s here. I accepted the criticism and I said to him he is a top player. He’s the top scorer in history for Morocco at the World Cup.
“Coaches have reasons for choices and I’ve always believed in him, because of his energy on the pitch, that’s why he plays for Sevilla.
He’s like [Olivier] Giroud for France, he works so hard for the team. Sometimes [these types of strikers] are criticised. He’s from Morocco, he trained in Morocco and he’s an important player.
I’m very proud of him. His goal was a sign of destiny.”
Walid Regragui, France coach
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Quarter-final Teams, Quarter-finals Matches, Schedule, Stadium, Venues, Standings, Time Table, Fixtures, Kick-off Times And Quarter-final Results.
The Quarter-final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will feature eight (8) teams:
Netherlands, Argentina, Croatia, Brazil, Morocco, Portugal, England and France.
Universal Time (GMT) is +00 But Local Schedule Timezone is +03 Qatar.
Universal Time (GMT) is +00 But Europe/London Schedule Time is +01.
No UTC/GMT Offset For Ghana, Accra is 3 hours behind Qatar.
Doha City, Qatar is 3 hours ahead of Accra, Ghana.
Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 Knockout Stage Teams: England, Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Senegal, USA, France, Poland, Morocco, Brazil, Croatia, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, South Korea and Portugal.
Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 Teams, Knockout Matches, Schedule, Stadium, Venues, Standings, Time Table, Fixtures, Kick-off Times And Round of 16 Results.
The Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will feature 12 teams:
England, Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Senegal, USA, France, Poland, Morocco, Brazil, Croatia, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, South Korea and Portugal.
Universal Time (GMT) is +00 But Local Schedule Timezone is +03 Qatar.
Universal Time (GMT) is +00 But Europe/London Schedule Time is +01.
No UTC/GMT Offset For Ghana, Accra is 3 hours behind Qatar.
Doha City, Qatar is 3 hours ahead of Accra, Ghana.
Harry Maguire, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Isaac Adongo
England defender Harry Maguire has been mocked by a Ghanaian MP who used a football analogy to describe the nation’s vice president.
Hon. Issac Adongo labelled the country’s Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as an “Economic Maguire”, likening his performance in the role to Maguire’s decline since joining Manchester United.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is a Ghanaian economist and former central banker who serves as the 5th Vice President of Ghana in the 4th Ghanaian Republic.
“…tackling Manchester players and giving assists to opponents. Mr Speaker, when the opponent failed to score, Maguire will score for them,” Mr Adongo said, as laughter erupted in the chamber.
“Mr Speaker, you remember in this country we also have an economic Maguire.”
Mr Isaac Adongo is a Ghanaian politician and member of the 8th Ghanian Parliament representing the Bolgatanga Central Constituency in the Upper East Region on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. He was first elected in 2016 and he was re-elected in 2020.
England took top spot in Group B at the World Cup after beating Wales 3-0.
England have finished top of their World Cup group for the first time since 2006, when they were eventually eliminated by Portugal at the quarter-final stage.
Marcus Rashford hit a brilliant free-kick before Phil Foden doubled his nation’s lead. Rashford then hit a third to send England through to the knockout stages.
Wales XI: Danny Ward, Neco Williams, Ben Davies, Chris Mepham, Joe Rodon, Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale, Dan James, Ethan Ampadu, Kieffer Moore.
England XI: Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden.
Rashford dedicates goals to friend who died of cancer
Marcus Rashford dedicated his goals against Wales to a friend who recently died of cancer.
The England forward opened the scoring before hitting the final goal in a 3-0 win at the World Cup. Phil Foden struck in between the Manchester United man’s double.
And Rashford celebrated by pointing to the sky.
Watch the highlights video from the match between Wales and England played at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan on Tuesday, 29 November 2022.
Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is Ghanaian banker, politician, an economist, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and head of Ghana’s Economic Management Team.
Dr Bawumia was a banker, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana until his nomination as Vice President.
Bawumia was born on October 7, 1963, in Tamale to parents; Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia and Hajia Mariama Bawumia.
He is a member of Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP), the current party on power.
Marriage & Family:
He is married to Samira Ramadan with whom they have four children.
Bawumia’s father Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia was a teacher, lawyer, and politician. He was a Mamprugu Royal and Paramount Chief of the Kperiga Traditional Area at the time of his death in September 2002.
He was a founding member of the Northern Peoples’ Party alongside Chief S. D. Dombo, Chief Abeifa Karbo, Yakubu Tali, the Tolon Naa, and J. A. Braimah, Kabachewura.
The Northern Peoples Party, together with the National Liberation Movement and other opposition political parties later merged into the United Party, the forebear of the current New Patriotic Party.
Alhaji Bawumia served under various Ghanaian governments in various capacities, including a member of the Northern Territories Council, the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly, a Member of Parliament of the First Republic, Northern Regional Minister, and Ghana Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Alhaji Bawumia was in March 1999 awarded the highest national honor, membership of the Order of the Star of Ghana.
Mahamudu Bawumia’s mother, Hajia Mariama Bawumia, is a native of Kpasenkpe in the West Mamprusi District. She was one of the first northern female students to gain admission to Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast.
Education:
Born into a large family, Mahamudu Bawumia was the twelfth of his father’s 18 children and the second of his mother’s five. Mahamudu Bawumia attended the Sakasaka Primary school in Tamale and gained admission to Tamale Secondary School in 1975. He was President of the Ghana United Nations Students’ Association (GUNSA) in 1981.
After graduating from Tamale Secondary School, he went to the United Kingdom where he studied banking and obtained the Chartered Institute of Bankers Diploma (ACIB). He took a First Class Honours Degree in Economics at Buckingham University in 1987.
He then obtained a master’s degree in Economics at Lincoln College, Oxford, and obtained a Ph.D. in Economics at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1995.
His areas of specialization include Macroeconomics, International Economics, Development Economics, and Monetary Policy. He has numerous publications.
Work experience
From 1988 to 1990, Bawumia worked as a lecturer in Monetary Economics, and International Finance at the Emile Woolf College of Accountancy in London, England. He also served as an economist at the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, USA.
Between 1996 and 2000, Bawumia served as an Assistant Professor of Economics at Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, Texas, USA, where he also received the Young Researcher Award in 1998. He was listed in “Who is Who Among America’s Teachers’ in 1999.
Bawumia returned to Ghana in 2000 to work as an economist at the Bank of Ghana. He rose from Senior Economist to Head of Department, and subsequently as Special Assistant to the Governor of the Bank. President J.A. Kufuor appointed Bawumia as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana in June 2006.
At the Bank of Ghana Bawumia: As Head of the Monetary Policy and Financial Stability Department, he was part of the team that designed and implemented the inflation-targeting framework that continues to guide monetary policy and the workings of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of Ghana.
The inflation-targeting framework established reduced inflation from over 40% in 2000 to 10.2% by 2007 (i.e., before the oil price shock of 2007/2008) while maintaining relative exchange rate stability. Was part of the team that was instrumental in designing and implementing policy initiatives such as the abolition of the secondary reserve requirements and the opening up of the banking sector to competition.
This resulted in a major increase in the availability of credit to the private sector from 12.5% of GDP in 2001 to 28.5% of GDP by 2008.
Led Bank of Ghana’s technical negotiation team and was on the government team that negotiated with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund since 2001 through HIPC and PRGF. Partly as a result of these negotiations, Ghana 2007 successfully ended its dependence on IMF assistance.
Served as a member of the Government technical negotiating team on HIPC Paris Club and Completion Point Negotiations. Ghana completed the HIPC process successfully with significant debt relief of close to $4 billion. He was a member of the Government Team negotiating the Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US Government.
The MCA resulted in many significant projects such as the recently inaugurated George Bush Highway. He Was a member of the Government Technical Team on the Deregulation of Ghana’s Petroleum Sector.
As Chairman of the Capital Markets Committee, was responsible for the strategy for accessing the international capital markets with a debut of US$750 million, which was four times oversubscribed. Was part of the team that designed and implemented the successful redenomination of the cedi. Through this process, the cedi was considerably strengthened.
Significant savings were also made by the Bank of Ghana in currency printing costs. He Was involved in the design and implementation of the e-zwich common platform for all banks, savings and loans companies, and rural banks, offering interoperability across different financial institutions. As the Deputy Governor in charge of financial stability oversaw the soundness of the banking sector.
As Deputy Governor Bawumia served on the Boards of the Bank of Ghana, Ghana International Bank (UK) Ghana Telecom, Revenue Agencies Governing Board, Social Security, and National Insurance Trust. Shortly after the 2008 election Bawumia resigned as Deputy Governor at the Bank of Ghana.
2008 elections
Mahamudu Bawumia as running mate to the New Patriotic Party candidate in the 2008 elections, Nana Akufo-Addo. The NPP increased its share of the vote compared to 2004 in all the three Northern Regions, in both the first and second round.
2008–2011
Bawumia served as a Consultant to the Economic Commission of Africa between February and March 2009. Between April and October 2009, he was a Visiting Scholar at the University of British Columbia Liu Centre for Global Studies and UBC Fisheries Centre.
In October 2009, he was appointed as a Fellow of the International Growth Centre (IGC), a research institute based jointly at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Oxford University that provides advice on economic growth to governments of developing countries, specifically serving as an IGC Team Member for Sierra Leone.
He also served as an Advisor to the Central Bank of Sierra Leone on the redesigning of the organizational structure of the Bank and its monetary policy framework.
Between October 2009 and October 2010, he was a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford, Department of Economics. In January 2011 Bawumia was appointed Resident Representative of the African Development Bank for Zimbabwe by the African Development Bank.
He served in this position until reappointed as the Vice-Presidential Candidate to Nana Akufo-Addo on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party for Ghana’s 2012 Presidential Election.
2012 elections
Bawumia was re-nominated as the Vice-Presidential Candidate to Nana Akufo-Addo for the 2012 General Elections in March 2012.
The Party won ten (10) seats in the Northern Region including Yendi, Walewale, Yagaba – Kubore, Bunkpurugu, Bimbilla, Chereponi, Kpandai, Tatale – Sanguli, Tolon and Zabzugu.
It also won the Nabdam and Talensi Constituencies in the Upper East Region. Overall, Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia lost the Presidential Elections to incumbent John Dramani Mahama.
Selected works
“Monetary Policy And Financial Sector Reform In Africa: Ghana’s Experience by Mahamudu Bawumia (Aug 31, 2010).
“The Determination of Bank Interest Spreads in Ghana: An Empirical Analysis of Panel Data” with Martin Ofori and Franklin Belnye, September 2005.
“Developing a Composite Indicator of Economic Activity in Ghana”, with Benjamin Amoah, Bank of Ghana Working Paper, February 2004.
“A Simple Vector Error Correction Forecasting Model for Ghana”, with Joseph Atta-Mensah, Bank of Ghana Working Paper, August 2003.
“Monetary Growth, Inflation and Exchange Rate Policy in Ghana” Research Department, Bank of Ghana, Journal of the West African Monetary Institute, 2003
“The Transmission Mechanism for Monetary Policy in Ghana”, with Philip Abradu-Otoo, Bank of Ghana Policy Paper, August 2003.
“The Determinants of Exchange Rates in Ghana”, with Zakari Mumuni. Bank of Ghana Working Paper. March 2003. “The Feasibility of Monetary Union in West Africa”. Mimeo. Economic Commission for Africa, November 2002.
“Comparative Institutional Features of Different Common Central Banks”, West African Monetary Institute. Mimeo. February 2002.
“Designing an Exchange Rate Mechanism for the West African Monetary Zone”, West African Monetary Institute. Mimeo. February 2002.
“Explaining African Economic Growth Performance: The Case of Ghana”, with Ernest Aryeetey and A. Fosu. Paper prepared for the African Economic Research Consortium. April 2001.
“Assessing the effectiveness of Intervention on the Foreign Exchange Market in Ghana”. Research Department, Bank of Ghana, February 2000.
“A Review of the Literature of the Impact of Financial Sector Liberalisation on the Poor”, with Dr. E.K.Y. Addison and Maxwell Opoku Afari, Research Department, Bank of Ghana, August 2000.
“Financial Markets in Africa. Issues and Challenges for Research,” with Professor Ernest Aryeetey, ISSER. October 2000 AERC.
“Currency Substitution and Money Demand in Ghana: A Cointegration Analysis”. Research Department, Bank of Ghana, November 2000. “Why the Apparent Rush to Market Reform”? Journal of Economics, 1999.
“The Sequencing of Fiscal Reform during Structural Adjustment. Lessons from Ghana, Uganda, and Zimbabwe”, Comparative Economic Studies, Vol. XXXVIII No.2/3 Summer-Fall 1996
“A Closer Look at The Distributional Impact of Ghana’s Structural Adjustment Program (1983–1992).
Journal of Modern African Studies. Vol.36 No.1, March 1998
“Estimating the Aggregate Values of Human Capital in Sub- Saharan Africa”, co-authored with Samuel A.Laryea. Review of Human Factor Studies. Vol. III No.1. June 1997
“Africa, the Challenge of Development”. Book Chapter in Stephen. Gardner’s Comparative Economic Systems, Dryden 1999
Scholarships and awards:
2007 — Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (FCIB).
2000 — Who Is Who Among America’s Teachers? – Baylor University.
1999 — Young Researcher Award: Baylor University, Texas, USA.
1995–1999 — President’s Research Fellowship: Ph.D. Simon Fraser University.
1991–1995 — 4 Graduate Fellowships: Ph.D. Simon Fraser University, Canada
1986 Sir Alan Peacock Prize. Best Economics Student, Department of Economics, University of Buckingham
Isaac Adongo is a Ghanaian politician born on 12 October 1972 and a member of the 8th Ghanaian Parliament representing the Bolgatanga, colloquially known as Bolga Central Constituency in the Upper East Region on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress.
He was first elected in 2016 and he was re-elected in 2020.
He gained international recognition in 2022 for calling Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia an “Economic Maguire“, and said that he scores economic own goals.
Issac Adongo labelled the country’s Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as an “Economic Maguire”, likening his performance in the role to Maguire’s decline since joining Manchester United.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is a Ghanaian economist and former central banker who serves as the 5th Vice President of Ghana in the 4th Ghanaian Republic.
“…tackling Manchester players and giving assists to opponents. Mr Speaker, when the opponent failed to score, Maguire will score for them,” Mr Adongo said, as laughter erupted in the chamber.
“Mr Speaker, you remember in this country we also have an economic Maguire.”
Early life
Adongo hails from Bolgatanga.
Education
He is a graduate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the University of Ghana.
Piotr Zielinski’s clinical first-half strike and Robert Lewandowski’s first goal at a World Cup finals tournament gave Poland their first points in Qatar, and brought Saudi Arabia back down to earth after their sensational win against Argentina in Group C.
Napoli midfielder Zielinski fired in a thunderous volley to open his nation’s account at the finals after Lewandowski had connected with Matty Cash’s cross six minutes before the break.
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny produced a sublime double save to thwart Saudi Arabia shortly after Zielinski struck, keeping out Salem Al-Dawsari’s penalty and tipping Mohammed Al-Burayk’s effort from the rebound over the crossbar.
Arkadiusz Milik and Lewandowski both hit the woodwork before the Poland captain gleefully pounced on a heavy touch by Abdulelah Al-Malki to double Poland’s lead late on.
The testy early stages saw five yellow cards – the most in the first half of a World Cup match since the notoriously physical 2010 final between Netherlands and Spain.
Poland now face Argentina in their group decider, while Saudi Arabia will attempt to make the Round of 16 for the first time since 1994 when they meet Mexico.
Watch the highlights video from the match between Poland and Saudi Arabia played at Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan on Saturday, 26 November 2022.
Poland vs Saudi Arabia (2-0) Video
Polska vs Arabia Saudyjska (2-0) Wideo, wynik końcowy: Robert Lewandowski zdobywa pierwszego gola na Mistrzostwach Świata w decydującym zwycięstwie.
Canada played Morocco in the final round of group F games but Morocco beats Canada 2-1 to secure top spot in Group F and reach the last-16 of the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022.
Morocco qualified for the knockout stages and they top group F after beating Canada.
Unbeaten Morocco marching on!!!
Remember, Croatia reached the World Cup final in 2018 and Belgium finished third. Morocco have ended above them both in this group and are unbeaten so far. Incredible.
Canada 1-2 Morocco: Canada go home from the 2022 FIFA World Cup without a single point, despite some great performances. Very harsh.
Who wins Canada vs Morocco?
Canada lost its final match of the men’s World Cup, surrendering a 2-1 decision to Morocco on Thursday in Qatar.
Who scored Canada’s goal against Morocco?
Morocco got off the mark early, with Hakim Ziyech capitalizing on a poor clearance by Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan, chipping the ball into a gaping net to make it 1-0.
Team News Canada: Borjan, Johnston, Steven Vitoria, Miller, Adekugbe, Osorio, Kaye, Davies, Buchanan, Larin, Hoilett.
South Korea and Ghana waged a total football battle, for one to stay relevant in the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022.
Defeat against the South Korea was imperative, but a win put Ghana Black Stars in a solid position going into Round of 16.
Ghana Black Stars scored three goals in Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 match for the first time as they beat South Korea 3-2 in an exhilarating match packed with twists and turns.
Mohammed Kudus double gives Black Stars victory in World Cup thriller.
Ghana revived their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for only the second time with a thrilling Group H victory after a second-half fightback from South Korea.
The 2010 quarterfinalists impressed in an opening 3-2 defeat against Portugal and went in front in the 24th minute when defender Mohammed Salisu swept home Jordan Ayew’s curling free-kick.
South Korea vs Ghana at FIFA World Cup 2022 – Live Stream, How To Watch, Match schedule, Fixtures, Standings, Time Table, Scores, Kick-off Times, Stadium, Venues And Group H Results.
