Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved two of Spain’s three penalties as Morocco pulled the upset of the 2022 World Cup knockout rounds in a penalty-kick win over the 2010 champions.
Achraf Hakimi calmly chipped the ball down the center previous a diving Unai Simón for the game-clinching penalty. The sport went to penalty kicks after the 2 sides tied 0-0 in regulation and failed to attain a purpose in further time.
It’s the primary time Morocco has ever made it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The Moroccans will play Saturday towards the winner of Tuesday’s match between Portugal and Switzerland.
Spain’s Pablo Sarabia got here on close to the tip of additional time and grazed the submit with the ultimate likelihood of the match. He kicked first for Spain and bounced his kick off the best submit.
Bounou, who performs for La Liga facet Sevilla, then saved kicks by Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets. Hakimi, who was born and raised in Madrid, kicked fourth for the Moroccans and his purpose gained the sport after Badr Benoun’s kick was saved by Simón.
Not one of the three Spain gamers’ penalties appeared to have any sizzle. It was virtually like they have been merely attempting to move the ball into the web and Bounou clearly realized it.
Morocco has been top-of-the-line tales of the match. It gained Group F over Croatia and Belgium and has given up only one purpose by means of the primary 4 video games of the match. And that got here to Canada. Morocco has shut out all three of Croatia, Belgium and Spain.
Morocco can be the one nation outdoors of Europe and South America to make the quarterfinals and the primary African nation to make the quarterfinals of the World Cup when Spain gained in 2010.
That 2010 World Cup ultimate can be the final time Spain has gained a knockout-round recreation within the World Cup. Spain did not get out of its group in 2014 and has been eradicated within the Spherical of 16 in every of the previous two World Cups. 4 years in the past, Spain was eradicated by Russia on penalty kicks.
Spain discovered itself taking part in Morocco on Tuesday after dropping to Japan within the ultimate spherical of the group video games. Had Spain overwhelmed Japan, it could have confronted Croatia on Monday. However you need to win to get to the quarterfinals. And Spain merely didn’t do this regardless of dominating possession and limiting Morocco’s attacking possibilities.
Spain had the ball over 75% of the time and had 13 pictures to Morocco’s two. However simply a kind of 13 pictures was on track — not counting Sarabia’s flick off the submit within the waning seconds — as Morocco’s protection was impenetrable.