FIFA World Cup 2022 Highlights: Morocco beat Spain on penalties to qualify for last-8

Penalties

Achraf Hakimi, born in Madrid and raised in Spain, can send Morocco through. He’s cool enough to calmly dink it and sends 2010 champions packing! Morocco are into the quarterfinals for the first time ever having beaten Spain 3-1 on penalties after no goals in 120 minutes of football

Penalties

Benoun misses for Morocco and Spain have a little glimmer of hope. Up next is skipper Sergio Busquets who is denied as well!

Morocco: ✅ ✅ ❌
Spain: ❌ ❌ ❌

Penalties

Carlos Soler’s penalty is saved! Bono reads the penalty and Spain are 0/2

Morocco: ✅ ✅
Spain: ❌ ❌

Penalties

Ziyech thunders it down the centre of the goal

Morocco: ✅ ✅
Spain: ❌

Penalties

Sarabia, who had come on as a substitute for the penalties, takes a left footed kick and it is into the post.

Morocco: ✅

Spain: ❌

PENALTIES

Sabiri is the first to step up. Unai Simon goes to his right and the Moroccan player goes left

Morocco: 1

Spain: 0

Spain into penalties for a fifth time at the World Cup. A first for Morocco

5 - This will be Spain's fifth World Cup penalty shootout, the joint-most of any nation (level with Argentina). They've lost three of their four so far, with no side ever losing more (England and Italy also 3). Mettle. #MARESP #WorldCup2022

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 6, 2022

120+2’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

SARABIA HITS THE POST! Cross into the area, Sarabia is unmarked on the far post, he takes a right footed shot and it hits the post and goes away for a goalkick. That is the last action of regulation time. On to penalties!

Change for Morocco

Ounahi goes off for Morocco and on comes Benoun

Change for Spain

Nico Williams is taken off by Luis Enrique and Spain. Eye on the penalties now as Pablo Sarabia comes on

116’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Two Morocco players get in each other’s way and Spain have the chance to counter. Morata has the ball, he has Nico Williams on one side and two teammates on the other, decides to leave it late and play Ansu Fati through but that is far too heavy a ball and the chance goes to waste.

114’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Huge roar as Walid Cheddira once again charges towards the Spain box. He is once again onside and played through. And once again he is slow into taking a shot and deciding what to do. Rodri gets back to shut the door on him

112’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Saiss immediately clutches his hamstring after making a clearance. He is asked to go the sideline. He hobbles back on after being taped up. That’s a big risk

105’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Morocco start the second period of extra time with a shot from half way line. Sabiri’s shot is well wide of Unai Simon’s goal

103’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Ounahi plays the ball through to Cheddira who rides the shirt tugging from Balde to get a shot on. Denied by Unai Simon’s right leg. That was a huge chance! And it came against the run of play. What a save!

Changes for Spain

Jordi Alba and Dani Olmo go off for Ansu Fati and Alejandro Balde

5️⃣ Spain have been taken to extra time in their last 5 tournament knockouts:

2018 World Cup: ❌ lost to Russia (penalties)

2020 Euros: ✅ Beat Croatia (after extra time)

2020 Euros: ✅ Beat Switzerland (penalties)

2020 Euros: ❌ lost to Italy (penalties)

2022 World Cup: ❓ vs Morocco

95’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

CHANCE! Walid Cheddira is put through. He has acres of space. Just Unai Simon to beat. But Laporte with a brilliant challenge to knick the ball off him. That was a sensational run back to get the ball. But it wouldn’t have counted anyway. The offside flag goes up. Luckily for Cheddira’s blushes

FULL TIME!

After 90 minutes and six minutes of stoppage time, there are no goals and hence no winner between Morocco and Spain. We’re going into extra time and if nothing happens there, penalties.

90+5’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

SO CLOSE! Dani Olmo takes a free kick and it is allowed to sting the Morocco keeper’s gloves who punches it. That could well have been the winner. From the resulting corner, Laporte has the opportunity to head in a winner but it has been blocked away. FULL TIME!

90+3’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Yikes! Spain keeper Unai Simon takes a heavy touch from a backpass and he just about whacks it away before Abdessamad Ezzalzouli blocks him. That was too close for comfort for many in the Iberian peninsula

Stoppage time

Five minutes added after 90 minutes in Morocco vs Spain. Carlos Soler takes a free kick for Spain and finds Alvaro Morata inside the box but the striker sends the header over the bar

Yellow card for Romain Saiss

Romain Saiss is the first Moroccan player to be booked. He is cautioned for pulling Dani Olmo back

88’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

SHOT! BLOCK! OFFSIDE! Morata runs off the last defender and has the pace to keep the ball in. Pulls it back for Nico Williams who takes a shot but it is blocked. The linesman has his flag up anyway… On the replay it suggests Morata was onside.

86’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Walid Cheddira almost scores within a minute of coming on. That would have been some change! He tries to turn and take a shot but is blocked away from doing so. Unai Simon catches comfortably

Change for Morocco

An injury induced substitution for Morocco. Aguerd, who has been sensational tonight, is struggling to continue. El Yamiq comes on in his place

Three changes for Morocco

En Nesyri, Amallah, Mazraoui all go out for Attiat-Allah, Cheddira and Sabiri

81’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Nico Williams plays it through to Morata who beats the offside trap and runs along for a shot across the face of goal. No one from Spain is following at the far post! Spain are knocking repeatedly on the door but unable to break it down

79’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Nico Williams runs down the right flank. Makes his pace and energy count and whips a neat, low cross which is destined for a Spain player. But before it could get to another one in blue, Nayef Aguerd makes a crucial intervention

Yellow card for Laporte

Laporte is late on the challenge and he catches Hakimi on the toe. The referee brandishes the yellow card and it is the first booking of the night

Change for Spain

Ferran Torres goes off for Nico Williams

74’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Five shots between these two after 74 minutes. The fewest shots in a match at this World Cup is nine during Argentina’s 2-0 win against Mexico.

Change for Morocco

Sofiane Boufal goes off for Abde Ezzalzouli

Two changes for Spain

Gavi and Asensio make way for Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata

62’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Morocco try to clear the ball away but it is hoofed right near the goalmouth. Bounou does well to punch it away to safety without much issue. Morocco run on the counter and it is intercepted by Alba who has taken a whack in the process. Looks okay to continue after some magic spray

54’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Alvaro Morata is limpering up on the sidelines and he should be involved at some point. Spain need a different plan. He is on three goals, alongside seven other players, in this World Cup. Free kick for Spain and Olmo with a belter of a shot from a free kick. That is Spain’s first shot on target

SECOND HALF!

Second half underway at the Education City Stadium! No changes for either teams

HALF TIME: Morocco 0-0 Spain

So it is Morocco 0-0 Spain after the first 45 minutes where just one minute was added on. Spain had just one shot for all their possession and passing. That one shot is their fewest on record in the opening 45 minutes of a World Cup match

Stats:

Shots: ???????? 3-1 ????????

Shots on target: ???????? 1-0 ????????

Possession: ???????? 31%-69% ????????

44’ Morocco 0-0 Spain

Youssef En Nesyri flexes his neck and jumps on the far post to keep the ball in play and hopes to find a teammate to head the ball in but it is defended by Laporte who heads it away to safety. Morocco finishing the half well