A Cristiano Ronaldo header made all the difference for Portugal and confined Morocco to an early exit from the World Cup.

The North African side with a horrendous opener against Iran will feel hard done by the result against Portugal, having given everything in the Group B game and getting nothing out of it.

If anything, it is that man, made for goals, who plays for gold who underlined his credentials once again in a high staked game that saw the Moroccans missing all the chances in the second half.

It took just four minutes into the game for Ronaldo to strike and he did with his head, a brave, glancing header to a sumptuous cross and Portugal were over the hill and far away.

They had to defend that solitary goal for over 90 minutes in a game filled with adrenaline and never lacking in emotions.

Morocco came into Wednesday’s game as wounded lions looking for a Portuguese side to devour but a momentary lapse in concentration early in the game proved costly for the side.

Ronaldo lost his marker, dived into a superb cross and headed past El Kajoui in post for the North African side for his first and only goal of the game and his fourth in the tournament after two games.

In the 8^th minute the Real Madrid star nearly increased the tally with an audacious skill deep in the Moroccan box but his final feeble touch went agonizingly wide.

It took a while for Morocco to settle and when they did, they started creating chances of their own. But for a timely clearance by Joao Moutinho in the six-yard box the Moroccan side would have drawn level.

In the 34^th minute Morocco got a penalty appeal waved off after Pepe cluttered into Belhanda in the air but it was not the only controversial decision taken by the American referee.

Morocco would feel let down by the referee for not taking at least a penalty after the ball appeared to have taken a ricochet of a Portuguese hand in the vital but they sure do have themselves to blame too.

Too many chances were created and missed with a total lack of focus and expertise, especially in the second half.

In the 41^st minute Ronaldo set up Geudes with a lovely, little flick but the young striker’s half volley which lacked direction went straight into El Kajoui in post for the Moroccans.

Deep into added time in the first half, Belhanda’s header from a set piece inched wide from the post and left Moroccan hands on their heads.

It was almost a one-sided second half with Morocco doing all the attack but Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio stood equal to the task.

In one of those rare opportunities for the Portuguese, Cristiano Ronaldo in the 50^th minute skied the ball away from the edge of the box, a glorious chance missed.

Then it was all defending again for the European champions. Rui Patricio needed a second chance to grab a cracker from Belhanda in the 55^th minute before pulling off a superb fingertip save from stupendous glancing header two minutes later by the same man.

The Moroccan threat was obvious. They pounded the goal area of the Portuguese but failed to do the most important thing.

The North African side came close again in the 77^th minute with Benatia header going just wide. They fought, they gave their all but had nothing to show for it. 

With no point from two games, the final Group B match between Morocco and Spain will be a mere formality at least for the North African side.