World Cup 2018: 3 key battles that decided the game as Portugal beat Morocco

#3 Cristiano Ronaldo vs Medhi Benatia

The header in the opening 5 minutes was what separated the sides statistically

In the battle of the captains, Cristiano Ronaldo was the one who was responsible for his side's victories, and all Benatia could manage was a case of the so near yet so far. Benatia had a couple of good chances to get back a goal for his side, but it was not to be.

Ronaldo's header caught Morocco by surprise, as he beat every defender around him and hit the ball with great speed to the right top corner.

But after that, he went missing for a long period of time before coming alive to create Portugal's second best chance of the game, only for Munir to deny Guedes with a firm hand.

From then on it was not Ronaldo's day but it was because Portugal never had enough of the ball to trouble Morocco. When they had the ball, their passes were either intercepted or were pressured by the Moroccans to lose possession in their own half.

Medhi Benatia was at his solid best for most of the game after failing to mark Ronaldo for the first goal, and sometimes that is all it takes. In offense too, it was not his day, as his shots went just off target and Portugal took home a win they will savour.