Fifa World Cup 2022: Morocco knock out Spain on penalties to reach historic quarter-finals

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

Morocco are the last African and Arab side left standing at the first World Cup held in an Arab country

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Morocco team members throw coach Walid Regragui in the air as they celebrate qualifying for the quarter finals. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:37am, 7 Dec 2022Updated: 5:25am, 7 Dec 2022

Achraf Hakimi struck the decisive penalty to send Spain crashing out and Morocco into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, winning 3-0 in a shoot-out on Tuesday after a 0-0 draw.

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.

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.

Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi celebrates after the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Morocco and Spain at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on Tuesday. Photo: AP

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.