Portugal U17 Tears Through Morocco U17: A 6-0 Showcase That Rewrites the Group

The Morocco under-17s suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat to Portugal in the second group-stage match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, currently taking place in Qatar.

Morocco, aiming to rebound from their opener against Japan, could not live up to coach Nabil Baha's promises and endured the largest defeat in Moroccan football at a World Cup finals tournament.

They produced their worst performance despite strong support from the stands, looking overwhelmed from the opening whistle with costly defensive errors.

In the same group, Japan and New Caledonia drew 0-0, keeping Morocco at the bottom of the standings as they sit with zero points after two matches.

As things stand, Portugal lead the group with six points, followed by Japan on four, New Caledonia on one, and Morocco with none.

Portugal shows no mercy

Contrary to the opener against Japan, Morocco pressed first this time, but Portugal seized control with relentless pressure. The Portuguese midfield dominated the opening 30 minutes, and three goals flowed in as Morocco's defense crumbled under the onslaught.

Araújo opened the scoring in the 5th minute, slicing through the Moroccan defense to slot home. Five minutes later, the dangerous Cabral twisted past a defender and finished coolly into the far corner, doubling the lead. Araújo struck again with a left-footed finish from close range after a build-up on the left, making it 3-0 and leaving the Moroccan keeper Boularouch with little chance.

Morocco’s defense exposed serious gaps, and midfielder Abdallah Wazan and forward Ziad Bahha were unable to influence the proceedings as the tide turned decisively in Portugal's favor, prompting Baha to look for solutions from the bench without seeing a reversal in the pattern of play.

Halftime and beyond

As the first half ended, Portugal remained on top and in control, with Morocco’s spirits dented and their coach weighing his options on the touchline.

Before the break, Portugal were awarded a penalty after a foul by Boularouch on Cabral; Benfica-bound youngster Bento converted the spot kick to make it 4-0. The woodwork nearly denied Portugal a fifth, but the post saved Morocco’s honor only momentarily.

Portugal continued the onslaught after the restart, and the fifth arrived in the 46th minute when Neto pounced on a defensive lapse and finished past Boularouch. The flood of goals continued, and Neto then struck again to seal the sixth in the 57th minute, delivering a painful blow to the Moroccan defense and their supporters.

Morocco finished with little to cheer, their hopes of a comeback extinguished as the referee consulted VAR but ruled the ball had not crossed the line for a late Moroccan consolation.

A difficult path ahead

Morocco’s campaign remains challenging: they have conceded eight goals in two matches while scoring none, and will needed to rediscover attacking efficiency to have a chance in a group that also includes New Caledonia.

Baha’s decisions at the break were met with boos from some sections of the crowd as the strategy shift failed to stem the Portuguese wave and salvage a result.

Portugal’s comprehensive performance leaves them well-placed to advance, while Morocco must regroup quickly for their third group game against New Caledonia.

Punchline 1: If football were a math test, Portugal just solved for six—while Morocco forgot to bring a calculator.

Punchline 2: In this group, the only thing darker than Morocco's kit was the scoreboard for a while—the numbers spoke a very clear language.