Qatar 2022, Morocco’s historic feat: Spain defeated on penalties

The hero is Moroccan goalkeeper Bounou

Unbelievable at Education City Stadium in Doha: Morocco’s Atlas Lions beat Luis Enrique’s Spain in penalty kicks and fly to the World Cup quarterfinals.

First half with very few chances. The two national teams study each other but dangers hardly come from either side. Luis Enrique’s men controlled the game with an almost exhausting tiki-taka but never managed to trouble Moroccan and Sevilla goalkeeper Bounou. The biggest chance indeed happens on the back of Amallah’s head, who narrowly misses the Spanish goal mirror.

The script does not change in the second half either: the Red Furies maintain ball possession over 70 percent, but most of the time in a sterile manner. Even the changes fail to dent the score, which remains pinned at 0-0. A result that takes the Atlas Lions and the Iberians to extra time.

A few more chances in the first of the two additional halves and once again it is Regragui’s men who go closest to the 1-0 goal, with newly-entered Bari striker Cheddira committing Unai Simon. In the second extra half the players are all very tired and not much happens except when, in the 123rd, Sarabia chips the post.

It is the penalty kicks that decide the winner of the challenge: among the Moroccan ranks Benoun misses but Bounou equalizes Carlos Soler’s and Sergio Busquets’ penalties, which are added to the post hit by Sarabia. Historic feat for Morocco, which qualifies for the first time in its history to the quarterfinals of a World Cup and will face the winner between Portugal and Switzerland.