Portugal 6-0 Morocco - Bino Maçães’ side cruise to a comfortable victory at the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup | OneFootball

Portugal produced a confidence-building performance to beat Morocco 6-0 at the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.

The floodgates opened in the 20th minute when João Aragão beat Chouaib Bellaarouch at his near post. Anísio Cabral powered a shot into the bottom corner two minutes later and Mateus Mide converted José Neto’s cross in the 28th minute.

Bellaarouch brought down Cabral before the break, Mide stepping up to the penalty spot finding the net. The second half had barely just begun when Neto squeezed the ball past Bellaarouch who was coming unstuck under heavy fire.

Bino Maçães’ side made it 6-0 in the 59th minute when Neto headed home Rafael Quintas’ free kick, Portugal cruising to the finish line and conserving their energy for the final Group B game against Japan.

Portugal 6-0 Morocco

Steven Manuel saw an early shot saved before Mauro Furtado’s long ball into the box saw Ilyas Hidaoui get in a tangle with Anísio Cabral. Bino Maçães used a video support review but referee Roberto Gutierrez and his assistant watched replays on the touchline and declined to award a penalty.

It mattered little with Portugal taking the lead in the 20th minute. José Neto got forward and gave the ball to João Aragão who found himself on the left side, the winger cutting inside Hidaoui and beating Chouaib Bellaarouch at his near post.

The second goal came just two minutes later following Rafael Quintas’ long ball to Anísio Cabral who was given far too much space on the edge of the box, the striker taking advantage by smashing a low drive into the far corner.

It was becoming a procession with Portugal making it 3-0 in the 28th minute, Neto’s cross turned home by Mateus Mide. Cabral narrowly missed the top corner but would soon be involved in Portugal’s fourth goal when he was brought down by Bellaarouch.

It was a moment of madness from the goalkeeper who persuaded manager Nabil Baha to waste a video support review, replays clearly showing Cabral got to the ball first. Mide stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom corner before the break.

Portugal left-back José Neto was one of the stars of the show, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

Bino Maçães made two changes at half-time, Manuel and Cabral making way for Yoan Pereira and Martim Costa “Zeega” Guedes.

The second half was less than 30 seconds old when Neto pounced on a poor pass and fired a low shot that Bellaarouch couldn’t keep out of the net.

Yoan Pereira was booked for a late challenge on Zakari El Khalfioui before Aragão and Mide made way for Duarte Cunha and Tomás Soares. Portugal bagged their sixth goal in the 59th minute when Neto headed home Quintas’ free kick, Bellaarouch caught in no man’s land.

Morocco’s best chance came when Neto blocked Ahmed Mouhou’s shot and Romário Cunha clawed the ball away from goal, Marocco using a video support review but camera angles and replays not sufficiently clear in showing the ball had crossed the line.

Santiago Verdi replaced Quintas as the pace of the game slowed down, Tomás Soares firing over the bar and Bellaarouch breathing a huge sigh of relief when the full-time whistle was blown.

Top-class performance

Bino Maçães made eight changes to the side that started in the 6-1 victory against New Caledonia. Mauro Furtado, Stevan Manuel and Anísio Cabral were the three players to retain their spots.

Ten of the players on the pitch started in the 3-0 win against France in the 2025 UEFA European U17 Championship final. The cohesion and confidence was on display with the opening three goals coming in a ruthless eight-minute spell.

Maçães wisely rested some of his stars against New Caledonia with little time to rest in Qatar where temperatures are hitting 31°C and humidity remains high. He has another opportunity to rotate in the final Group B game against Japan with safe passage to the knockout rounds guaranteed.

A surprise goalless draw between Japan and New Caledonia in this afternoon’s other match means Portugal’s place in the knockout phase is assured and a draw against the Japanese on Sunday will be enough to finish top of the group.

Line-up

Portugal (4-2-3-1) Romário Cunha; Daniel Banjaqui, Martim Chelmik, Mauro Furtado, José Neto; Rafael Quintas (Santiago Verdi 65’), Bernardo Lima; João Aragão (Duarte Cunha 59’), Mateus Mide (Tomás Soares 59’), Stevan Manuel (Yoan Pereira 46’); Anísio Cabral (Martim Costa “Zeega” Guedes 46’)

Unused substitutes: Alexandre Tverdohlebov, David Rodrigues, Gabriel Dbouk, Ricardo Neto, Miguel Figueiredo

Goals

[2-0] Anísio Cabral 22’

[3-0] Mateus Mide 29’

[4-0] Mateus Mide (pen) 44’