By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
Okay.ngOkay.ngOkay.ng
Font ResizerAa
  • News
    • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Reading: FIFA World Cup: Morocco knock out Spain, book quarter-final spot
Share
Font ResizerAa
Okay.ngOkay.ng
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Search
  • News
    • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Follow US
  • About Okay.ng
  • Advertising on Okay.ng
  • Contact Okay.ng
  • Careers
  • Meet the Team behind Okay.ng
  • Ownership and Funding of Okay.ng
  • Editorial Principles at Okay.ng
© OKN MEDIA PUBLISHING 2022 - All rights reserved
Sport

FIFA World Cup: Morocco knock out Spain, book quarter-final spot

Agency Report with Okay.ng
By Agency Report with Okay.ng
Published: December 6, 2022
Share
5 Min Read
Morocco’s midfielder #21 Walid Cheddira fights for the ball with Spain’s midfielder #16 Rodri and Spain’s defender #24 Aymeric Laporte during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between Morocco and Spain at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 6, 2022. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP)
Morocco’s midfielder #21 Walid Cheddira fights for the ball with Spain’s midfielder #16 Rodri and Spain’s defender #24 Aymeric Laporte during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between Morocco and Spain at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 6, 2022. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP)
SHARE

Morocco beat Spain on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history on Tuesday after the match finished 0-0.

The African side won the shoot-out 3-0 after Spain failed to convert all three of their spot kicks.

Spain coach Luis Enrique had claimed his players prepared by taking 1,000 penalties as homework but Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets all missed from the spot and Madrid-born Hakimi dinked his home to the delight of Morocco’s raucous support.

Walid Regragui’s side will face Portugal or Switzerland in what is uncharted territory for them, with their previous best a last-16 exit in 1986.

- Advertisement -

Spain had been hoping they could repeat their 2010 World Cup triumph after reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2020, where they were also beaten on penalties by Italy.

The teams were closely matched through a nail-biting clash, with Spain having more of the ball but Morocco creating the better openings, few though they were.

Luis Enrique trialled his third right-back of the tournament in Marcos Llorente, and benched the team’s top scorer Alvaro Morata for Marco Asensio, after the shock defeat by Japan.

Spain monopolised the ball, with Morocco’s fans furiously whistling with their side out of possession.

- Advertisement -

Morocco, who are the last African and Arab side left standing at the first World Cup held in an Arab country, were intensely backed and their fans greatly outnumbered Spain’s.

With La Roja playing in a pale blue second strip, they resembled the away team on hostile territory.

Gavi, who at 18 years and 123 days old became the youngest player to start a World Cup knockout game since Brazil great Pele in 1958, rose to the occasion.

The Barcelona midfield terrier was at his most intense, smashing into challenges left, right and centre, even diving to make one with his head.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou tipped a Gavi strike on to the crossbar, though it would have been ruled offside, while Asensio drilled into the side-netting, although Spain created little.

Regragui’s side sat deep defensively and threatened on the counter, with Unai Simon beating away a long range effort from Noussair Mazraoui.

Toothless Spain

Sofiane Boufal, who bypassed Llorente like sand slipping through the Spaniard’s fingers early on, carved the best chance of the half for Nayef Aguerd, who headed inches over.

Bounou pummelled away a Dani Olmo strike from an angle as the tension cranked up after the break.

Luis Enrique raged at Rodri for choosing the wrong option on the ball, and withdrew the dogged and muddied Gavi for Carlos Soler.

He threw Morata on too, giving Spain a focal point up top, but they struggled to supply him as Morocco sat deeper and deeper.

Another substitute, Nico Williams did find the Atletico Madrid striker on one occasion but the angle was too tight and he scraped a shot across the face of goal.

Bounou made a fine save from Olmo’s free-kick as it almost snuck all the way through, with Spain finally creating stronger chances as the game frayed in the moments before extra-time.

Morocco responded in the additional period by finding stability and testing Simon, who made a fine save with his legs to deny Walid Cheddira after he broke in down Spain’s left flank.

Despite heavy pressure by Spain in the final moments before penalties, they could not trouble the Sevilla goalkeeper again, with Pablo Sarabia clipping the outside of the post, although he might have been offside.

Having been sent on apparently for the shoot-out, Sarabia struck the post again from Spain’s first penalty, after Abdelhamid Sabiri had sent Morocco ahead.

Soler and Busquets missed, while Hakim Ziyech scored, before Hakimi netted against his birth country to ignite wild celebrations.

Stay Updated on the Go with Our Latest News—Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!
TAGGED:MoroccoSpain
SOURCES:AFP
VIA:Okay.ng
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article FirstBank, others partner with Junior Achievement on Africa’s Largest High School Entrepreneurship competition
Next Article Pelé not dead, we are tired of receiving condolence messages – Family

Connect with Okay on Social

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow
TelegramFollow

Dollar/Naira Rates

Dollar to Naira Exchange Rate

Okay.ng Logo
Buy Rate ₦1,605.00
Sell Rate ₦1,620.00

Last updated: 4 days ago (June 3, 2025 2:33 pm)

Displayed rates are for informational purposes only and are subject to change.

USD/NGN Converter

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Recent Posts

Tinubu Urged by PDP to Cut Fuel and Electricity Costs Amid Eid-el-Kabir Festivities
News
Mike Ejeagha
Mike Ejeagha, Nigerian Highlife Maestro, Dies at 95
News
Tinubu Welcomes Gov Eno to APC as Political Realignments Intensify Across States
Politics Top stories
Super Eagles Rally to Draw Against Russia in International Friendly
Sport
Manchester United Raises Annual Core Profit Forecast to Between £180m and £190m After Europa League Boost
Sport
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

You May Also Like

Ange Postecoglou
Sport

Tottenham Hotspur Part Ways with Ange Postecoglou Despite Europa League Glory

Yusuf Abubakar
Yusuf Abubakar
June 6, 2025
News

Dangote Names Main Refinery Access Road “Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road” in Honor of President

Muhammad A. Aliyu
Muhammad A. Aliyu
June 6, 2025
L-R: Ify Okoye, Digital Creator; Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Actress; Stella Erebor, Head Internal Audit, Nigerian Communications Commission; Emanuella Samuel, Comedienne/Actress, Sylvia Musalagani, Safety Policy Manager, Africa, Middle East & Turkey (AMET), Meta, and Nicole Chikwe, founder of The Mummy Summit, during the launch of Instagram teen accounts in Lagos on Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Tech

Meta Launches Teen Accounts on Instagram in Nigeria to Enhance Online Safety for Young Users

Farouk Mohammed
Farouk Mohammed
June 6, 2025
Okay.ngOkay.ng
Follow US
© OKN MEDIA PUBLISHING 2025 - All rights reserved
  • About Okay.ng
  • Advertising on Okay.ng
  • Contact Okay.ng
  • Careers
  • Meet the Team behind Okay.ng
  • Ownership and Funding of Okay.ng
  • Editorial Principles at Okay.ng
adbanner
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?