CEDRIC Soares has one foot in the knockout stages of the World Cup after helping Portugal to a 1-0 win over Morocco in Moscow.

Portugal can look forward to a final Group B game against Iran, knowing they are almost through with four points on the board already, while the North Africans have only pride to play for against Spain.

Having waited 20 years for a fifth appearance at a World Cup, fans of the Lions of the Atlas travelled in large and loud number. The pre-match singing contest was a walkover.

Unfortunately, their heroes started the game as they finished the last against Iran by conceding a header from a corner in the fourth minute.

Real Madrid star Ronaldo produced a brave header as he flung himself in front of Morocco striker Khalid Boutaib’s raised foot to power the ball past Monir El Kajoui.

After his hat-trick against Spain, this was Ronaldo’s 85th goal in international football and he is now second on the all-time list behind Iranian Ali Daei, who has scored a remarkable 109 goals.

And that, in many ways, was the story of the first half.

The European champions, for whom Saints right back Cedric played the full 90 minutes alongside former St Mary’s skipper Jose Fonte, did not do much but what they did create always involved Ronaldo.

He nearly scored another with a neat turn and shot five minutes later, set Goncalo Guedes up for a chance that El Kajoui saved well just before the break and generally strutted around like he owned the Luzhniki Stadium.

He was also twice booted in the air, earning Karim El Ahmadi and captain Mehdi Benatia yellow cards.

The second half started in the same fashion, as Morocco’s fans drove their players on, knowing their tournament would be over in 45 minutes.

And they so nearly gained their reward in the 57th minute, when Patricio, who has just signed for Wolves, produced the save of the tournament so far to deny a Benatia header.

Morocco were undeniably the better team, particularly in the second half, but they could not find that last pass, or when they did, they could not get the right player on the end of it.

It would be an exaggeration to say Portugal were grimly hanging on at the end or that they are a one-man team.

But it is fair to say that their talisman was the difference again in a game they did not deserve to win.