World Cup 2022: Morocco 0-0 Spain (3-0 pens) Achraf Hakimi chips profitable penalty to succeed in quarters

Achraf Hakimi made himself a hero with a chipped profitable penalty as Morocco shocked Spain 3-0 in a shootout after a goalless draw to succeed in the World Cup quarter-finals.

That left Paris St-Germain’s Hakimi – born and raised in Madrid no much less – to win it along with his nerveless spot-kick and spark jubilant scenes within the stands.

Training Metropolis Stadium was crammed principally by Morocco followers, who went wild on the closing whistle as their aspect reached the final eight for the primary time, the place they may face Portugal or Switzerland on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The north African aspect’s followers had been making themselves heard all recreation however the ambiance within the stands didn’t match the attritional battle on the pitch.

Spain hogged the ball and Morocco sat again plugging the gaps, with only a few clear-cut possibilities being created.

Luis Enrique’s aspect got here closest to breaking the impasse courtesy of Dani Olmo, who struck an arrowed drive from the angle which Bounou pushed away and the goalkeeper additionally did brilliantly properly to maintain out Olmo’s harmful free-kick late on.

Morocco have been taking part in on the counter and may have scored within the opening interval however Nayef Aguerd despatched his unmarked header over, whereas their solely shot on the right track got here by way of Noussair Mazraoui’s long-range drive which was gathered by Unai Simon.

With the edges not with the ability to be separated, the sport went into additional time and substitute Walid Cheddira had Morocco’s greatest probability however scuffed his shot straight at Simon from eight yards out.

Spain notched over 1,000 passes within the contest and virtually gained it within the 123rd minute, however Pablo Sarabia’s volley agonisingly flicked the surface of the far put up.

Morocco march on

It was a cauldron of noise contained in the stadium from kick-off as Morocco followers vastly outnumbered their Spanish counterparts and it was the ‘Maghreb’ who have been left celebrating on the closing whistle.

Morocco grow to be simply the fourth African aspect to succeed in the quarter-finals at a World Cup, matching the achievements of Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).

Their supporters sang, chanted and banged their drums for the complete 120 minutes, with loud piercing whistles ringing round each time Spain have been on the ball.

And Sevilla goalkeeper Bounou appeared to feed of that vitality, saving penalty efforts from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets, whereas Sarabia struck the put up.

Star participant Hakimi stepped up and was the good man beneath probably the most intense strain, dinking his penalty – a ‘Panenka’ – straight down the center as Morocco surged into the quarters.

Gamers ran across the pitch in a daze, supervisor Walid Regragui had his head in his palms in disbelief at what he had simply witnessed, earlier than they lay prostrate on the turf after which jumped up and down in entrance of supporters.

Morocco’s solely earlier look within the final 16 got here in 1986, however they’ve now prolonged their unbeaten run within the World Cup to 5 video games and saved a clear sheet in six out of their final seven in all competitions.

For 2010 winners Spain, their marketing campaign ends in distress after such an optimistic begin once they hammered Costa Rica 7-0 of their opening recreation.

They tried to cross Morocco into submission however the opposition held agency, the favourites having only one shot on the right track from their 1,019 passes.

Enrique had mentioned his aspect wanted to do their homework on penalties, practising over 1,000 in coaching within the lead-up to the match, however they might want to return to the drafting board after lacking all of their spot-kicks.

It’s Spain’s second successive exit by penalties on the last-16 stage of a World Cup, having additionally misplaced to Russia in 2018.

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