Morocco beats Spain on penalties to advance at World Cup

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — The primary World Cup held in an Arab nation has produced the Arab world’s first quarterfinalist.

Morocco grew to become solely the fourth African nation to succeed in the quarterfinals on the largest soccer event on the planet by beating Spain 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw by way of additional time.

The Moroccans have been enjoying in solely their second knockout recreation at a World Cup, an occasion which is being held within the Center East for the primary time in its practically 100-year historical past.

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“Proper now could be a particular second for all Africa, for all of the Arab nations, for all of the Muslims round this world,” Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi stated. “You attempt to make them glad, attempt to make ourselves glad. And I feel it goes fairly effectively.”

The World Cup in Qatar is the primary to be performed within the Arab world and solely the second to be held in Asia. The event started with one of many largest upsets in historical past when Saudi Arabia beat two-time champion Argentina on the third day of motion.

The Saudis have been eradicated, as have been host Qatar and Tunisia, within the group stage. That left Morocco because the Arab world’s normal bearer.

“I’m very pleased with my followers, of my folks and Arabic folks,” stated Morocco coach Walid Regragui, who’s the primary African to teach an African staff to the quarterfinals. “Additionally as a result of I feel you’ve Qatari folks right here, possibly Algerian folks, Tunisian folks, Arabic folks and African folks.”

Achraf Hakimi, who was born in Madrid and beforehand performed for Actual Madrid, transformed the deciding penalty within the shootout. Abdelhamid Sabiri and Hakim Ziyech, who returned to the nationwide staff after a dispute with the earlier coach, additionally scored.

Morocco has been the most important shock of the event and can subsequent face Portugal within the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Morocco, which has a posh geopolitical relationship with shut neighbor Spain, superior from a tough group that included Canada, 2018 semifinalist Belgium, and 2018 runner-up Croatia.

The staff got here to the event with greater than half of its squad stuffed with gamers who weren’t born in Morocco, essentially the most of any of the 32 collaborating nations.

“As we speak I feel it confirmed to the world each Moroccan is Moroccan together with his passport,” Regragui stated. “When he involves the nationwide staff, you wish to die, you wish to battle. And that’s what I wish to present. And now, we’ve got one instance. The coach is born in France however no person can have my coronary heart however my nation.”

The king of Morocco known as to congratulate the staff after the sport.

Morocco, which additionally reached the spherical of 16 on the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, can be the one staff from outdoors Europe or South America to make it to the final eight in Qatar.

Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana are the one different African nations to succeed in the World Cup quarterfinals. Not one of the three superior to the semifinals.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who performs for Spanish membership Sevilla, saved two of the three penalties he confronted within the shootout, from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets. Pablo Sarabia hit the publish.

“We knew that if we went to the penalty shootout, we had top-of-the-line goalkeepers on the planet and we might win it,” stated Regragui, who took over as coach of Morocco in August and had little time to organize the staff forward of the World Cup.

Sarabia had entered the match within the closing minutes of additional time, apparently for the shootout. He changed Nico Williams, who had additionally are available in instead earlier within the match.

“It’s my accountability,” stated Spain coach Luis Enrique, who earlier than the match stated he had requested his gamers to observe 1,000 penalty kicks whereas with their golf equipment. “I picked the primary three penalty-takers, after which they might determine themselves. However the first three have been my resolution, and I might’ve finished the identical factor once more. The one factor I wanted I might do was to take Bounou out and put one other goalkeeper in there.”

Spain was eradicated by host Russia in a penalty shootout on the 2018 World Cup, and by Italy within the semifinals of final yr’s European Championship. The staff hasn’t superior previous the final 16 on the World Cup because it received the event in 2010 in South Africa.

“We have been unable to attain … so regardless of how a lot we are saying that we deserved to win for the possibilities we created and for enjoying extra of their space, it’s not going to alter something,” stated Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón, who stopped one penalty within the shootout. “The one factor left for us is to just accept that we’ve got been eradicated.”

It was the fifth straight time Spain performed additional time in a knockout spherical of a serious event. The staff performed 120 minutes towards Russia and in all three of its knockout video games at Euro 2020.

Moroccan followers have been considerably outnumbered by — and have been louder than — the Spaniards at Schooling Metropolis Stadium.

It was the second match within the spherical of 16 to enter additional time at this yr’s World Cup. Croatia beat Japan on penalties Monday.

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