Soccer

Morocco stuns Spain on penalty kicks to advance at men's World Cup

Morocco advanced to the men's World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, beating Spain 3-0 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday.

Moroccans only team from outside Europe or South America to make quarter-finals

Hakim Ziyech, left, and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco celebrate the nation's penalty shootout win against Spain on Tuesday. (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

The first World Cup held in an Arab nation has produced the Arab world's first quarter-finalist.

Morocco became only the fourth African country to reach the quarter-finals at the biggest soccer tournament in the world by beating Spain 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw through extra time in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

The Moroccans were playing in only their second knockout game at a World Cup, an event which is being held in the Middle East for the first time in its nearly 100-year history.

"We felt the support of our fans, be it in Morocco or any other country in the world," said Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who plays for Spanish club Sevilla and saved two of the three penalties he faced in the shootout.

Achraf Hakimi, who was born in Madrid and previously played for Real Madrid, converted the deciding penalty in the shootout. Abdelhamid Sabiri and Hakim Ziyech, who returned to the national team after a dispute with the previous coach, also scored for Morocco.

Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets missed their penalties for Spain, with Sarabia hitting the post and Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stopping the other two.

The teams drew 0-0 in regulation and extra time.

Sarabia had entered the match in the final minutes of extra time, apparently for the shootout. He replaced Nico Williams, who had also come in as a substitute earlier in the match.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon stopped the penalty by Badr Banoun. Simon's counterpart, Bounou, plays for Spanish club Sevilla.

Portugal up next

Bounou was born in Montreal but raised in Morocco.

Morocco has been the biggest surprise of the tournament and will next face Portugal.

Morocco is also the only team from outside Europe or South America to make it to the last eight. The team made the round of 16 once before, at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Spain was eliminated by host Russia in a penalty shootout at the 2018 World Cup, and by Italy in the semifinals of last year's European Championship.

"We were unable to score … so no matter how much we say that we deserved to win for the chances we created and for playing more in their area, it is not going to change anything," Simon said. "The only thing left for us is to accept that we have been eliminated."

It was the fifth straight time Spain played extra time in a knockout round of a major tournament. The team played 120 minutes against Russia and in all three of its knockout games at Euro 2020.

Moroccan fans outnumbered

Morocco and Spain are close neighbours with a complex geopolitical relationship.

Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana are the only other African nations to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. None of the three advanced to the semifinals.

Moroccan fans significantly outnumbered, and were louder, than the Spaniards at Education City Stadium.

Neither team was able to create many significant scoring chances. Morocco seemed satisfied to keep Spain controlling possession and looked to threaten on counter-attacks

Both teams had a few opportunities in extra time, with Spain closest to scoring with a last attempt by Sarabia that clipped the post.

It was the second last 16 match to go into extra time at this year's World Cup. Croatia beat Japan on penalties Monday.

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