GiveMeSport
·10 December 2022
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·10 December 2022
Morocco’s Jawad El Yamiq is going viral for kissing Pepe’s head after he missed a sitter to equalise deep into injury time during their World Cup quarter final.
Morocco were holding onto a 1-0 lead given to them by Youssef En-Nesyri’s incredible 42nd minute header.
Walid Regragui’s side have conceded just one goal during the entire World Cup competition – an own goal during their 2-1 victory against Canada.
Portugal threw everything they had at Morocco but just couldn’t find a way past Yassine Bounou.
Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench within minutes of the second half but not even the greatest goalscorer in football history could force an equalise.
Neither could fellow veteran, Pepe.
The 39-year-old scored during Portugal’s 6-1 victory over Switzerland in the last 16.
However, when presented with the perfect opportunity in the seventh minute of injury time, Pepe somehow headed the ball wide.
How did he miss!?
Well, nobody quite knows.
But Morocco were absolutely delighted to see the ball go wide of the post.
So much so that El Yamiq had to thank Pepe’s bald head for not converting the ball. And Morocco’s defender decided to kiss the top of Pepe’s head in an incredible show of relief.
Brave? Disrespectful? Legendary?
Probably all of the above.
He was perhaps fortunate Pepe was too concerned about missing than to react to El Yamiq’s kiss.
Either way, fans were absolutely loving El Yamiq’s actions after Pepe’s miss.
Check out the best reaction:
Brilliant.
Morocco became the first African side to reach the last four of the World Cup – and they fully deserve their place in the semi final.
They will now face the winner of England and France in the semi finals.
After the match, the incredible Sofyan Amrabat tried to put into words what his side had just done.
“It’s really, really, really unbelievable,” he said.
“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.”