Man City's Bernardo Silva and Schalke's Amine Harit could have key role in Portugal v Morocco clash

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  • Portugal head into their second Group B clash riding the crest of a wave after a stunning 3-3 draw with Spain.

    In contrast, Morocco, their opponents on Wednesday, will attempt to arise from the slump of a confidence-sapping 1-0 defeat to Iran.

    The Atlas Lions didn’t face a single shot in the second half, a testament to their stoicism, but substitute Aziz Bouhaddouz turned a header into his own net deep into injury time to break Morocco’s resistance and their hearts.

    Cristiano Ronaldo was the headline act of the first round of fixtures as he took centre-stage with a majestic 88th-minute free-kick sealing a hat-trick and a point against La Roja.

    Now, Portugal will aim to place one foot in the knockouts with victory at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. With that in mind, here’s a look at some key comparisons.

    PEPE V MEDHI BENATIA

    16 06 2018 key battles pepe v benatia (1)

    Pepe isn’t fooling anyone with his boyband disguise, he’s still a villainous pest of a defender.

    At 35 years old and now plying his trade in Turkey with Besiktas after ending his prosperous union with Real Madrid last summer, the Portugal hardman is now in the declining stage of his career.

    Indeed, Santos possesses a grizzled backline with the decaying qualities of Pepe and his centre-back partner Jose Fonte (34) cause for concern.

    The pair combine for a startling age of 69 and that Pepe is still Fernando Santos’ lead defender is utterly frightening.

    He was bullied and battered by Diego Costa in the tournament opener and although Morocco frontman Khalid Boutaib is unlikely to provide a similar threat, the runners in behind could unsettle and frustrate the short-fused Pepe.

    No Morocco player touched the ball more (103) than Benatia during their defeat to Iran, a pointer to the responsibility he carries for his nation.

    The Juventus defender was one of the better performers in their tournament opener, especially considering Romain Saiss alongside him looked very anxious when in possession, Benatia called upon on a couple of occasions to mop up.

    The captain will have the toughest one v one in this clash with Cristiano Ronaldo sure to be in the mood for a tear up.

    Benatia has though returned to the form which saw him emerge as one Serie A’s finest defenders during his time with Roma.

    He stepped up and filled the gaping hole left by Leonardo Bonucci’s exit to AC Milan last summer and thrived alongside Giorgio Chiellini.

    That experience will and his previous encounters with Ronaldo at club level will be pivotal.

    BERNARDO SILVA V AMINE HARIT

    20 06 2018 key battles silva v amine

    From an attacking sense, Schalke’s Harit stood out – for good and bad – against Iran.

    A frustrating talent, the 21-year-old was at home in the attacking third, darting in between the lines with electric feet and intelligent in-and-out movement.

    But his end product was poor. From a joint-game high of three shots, he found the target only once and the opportunities, while not exactly clear cut, could have yielded far better results.

    On the half turn, he’s extremely well-balanced and it’s noticeable how well he retains the ball tight to his feet on the run. However, Harit is still raw and though refining his talent at a World Cup may be a positive for the future, for the present, Morocco need him to mature quickly.

    Bernardo Silva struggled to make an impression against Spain, albeit playing a very skill-rich side, and Fernando Santos will require more from the midfielder.

    In and out of the team under Pep Guardiola in his debut season for Manchester City after moving from Monaco, the 23-year-old didn’t convey the confident characteristics he exhibited when brought into the fold last season against La Roja.

    He’s been capped with Portugal since 2015, so is far from a new face in the squad, but Cristiano Ronaldo cannot be expected to carry his country alone.

    While the starting XI is deployed in a 4-4-2, Bruno Fernandes on the opposite wing and Bernardo take turns to join the front two to transition attacks into a fluid 4-3-3.

    Coming in off his wing, Bernardo must offer more than his zero shots, zero key passes and just 35 touches during his 68-minute display against Spain.

    WILLIAM CARVALHO V MBARK BOUSSOUFA

    20 06 2018 key battles carvalho v mbark

    Morocco’s marauding midfielder Boussoufa didn’t really get the opportunity to showcase his ability against Iran with the Atlas Lions curiously pinging long and inaccurate switch balls into the channels.

    But for a long time the 33-year-old has been one of the standout talents in this Morocco side and perhaps an enticing middle-ground contest with the equally impressive Carvalho will bring the best out of him.

    Boussoufa is a gifted two-way player, capable of sparking attacks with his incisive passing while also blanketing danger with well-timed tackles and interceptions.

    He occupies a deeper quarter-back role for Renard’s side, screening a rigid back four but if they are to gain any sort of foothold in this fixture, they will need their Dutch-born veteran to dictate tempo with an improved passing success rate from what we saw in their tournament opener.

    While Ronaldo stole all the headlines for his heroism against Spain, in behind Carvalho was quietly enjoying a very solid performance.

    The youthful exuberance in attack is countered by a worryingly weathered backline and so the 26-year-old has arguably the most important role in the team as he transitions play from the out of defence while also dropping in when they don’t have possession to protect an aging centre-back partnership.

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