Achraf Hakimi struck the conclusive punishment to send Spain crashing out and Morocco into the World Cup quarter-finals interestingly, winning 3-0 in a shoot-out on Tuesday after a 0-0 draw.
Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler, and Sergio Busquets all missed from the spot, despite Spain coach Luis Enrique’s claim that his players were prepared by taking 1,000 penalties as homework. However, Madrid-born Hakimi dinked his home to the delight of Morocco’s raucous support.
The team led by Walid Regragui will play either Portugal or Switzerland in unfamiliar territory; their previous best result was a loss in the last-16 in 1986.
After reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2020, where they were also defeated on penalties by Italy, Spain had been hoping to win a second World Cup.Spain had more of the ball in a nail-biting match, but Morocco had the better chances, even though they were few. The teams were evenly matched.
After the shocking defeat by Japan, Luis Enrique tried out Marcos Llorente, his third right-back of the tournament, and substituted Marco Asensio for Alvaro Morata, the team’s leading scorer.
Morocco’s supporters were ferociously whistling while their team lacked possession as Spain controlled the ball.
Morocco, who are the last African and Middle Easterner side left remaining at the principal World Cup held in a Bedouin country, were seriously upheld and their fans significantly dwarfed Spain’s.
La Roja looked like the away team in hostile territory as they played in a second strip of pale blue.
Gavi rose to the occasion, becoming the youngest player since Brazil’s Pele in 1958 to start a World Cup knockout game at the age of 18 and 123 days.
The Barcelona midfield terrier was at his most ferocious, diving to make head-first tackles on challenges from all directions.
Yassine Bounou, Morocco’s goalkeeper, tipped a Gavi shot off the crossbar, which would have been ruled offside. Asensio drilled a shot into the side netting, but Spain didn’t create much.
Unai Simon saved Noussair Mazraoui’s long-range effort from Unai Simon as Regragui’s team sat deep defensively and made counterattacks.
Toothless Spain
The best chance of the half was created by Sofiane Boufal, who beat Llorente like sand slipping through his fingers early on. Nayef Aguerd headed inches wide.
After the break, the tension increased when Dani Olmo’s shot was smashed away by Bounou from an angle.
Luis Enrique reprimanded Rodri for selecting the wrong ball option and substituted Carlos Soler for the obstinate and muddy Gavi.
He also put Morata in, giving Spain a focal point up top. However, as Morocco sat deeper and deeper, they struggled to provide him.
Another sub, Nico Williams, did find the Atletico Madrid striker once, but the angle was too tight, so he shot across the goal.
When Olmo’s free kick almost got through, Bounou made a great save. Spain finally had better chances as the game got tighter just before extra time.
In the additional period, Morocco responded by finding stability and putting Simon to the test. After Walid Cheddira broke in down Spain’s left flank, Simon made an excellent leg save to deny him.
Pablo Sarabia clipped the outside of the post, despite the possibility that he was offside, in the final moments before penalties, despite Spain’s intense pressure. However, they were unable to exert any further pressure on the Sevilla goalkeeper.
After Abdelhamid Sabiri had given Morocco the lead, Sarabia, who had apparently been brought on for the shootout, hit the post once more from Spain’s first penalty.
Hakimi scored against his home nation after Soler and Busquets missed, while Hakim Ziyech scored. This sparked raucous celebrations.
