Report: Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD: Morocco have confirmed their berth in the top-8 stage of FIFA World Cup 2022 after beating Spain 3-0 on penalty shoots in a nerve-jangling pre-quarterfinal at Education Stadium Doha Qatar on Tuesday night. Defending champions France, England, Croatia, Brazil, Netherlands, and Argentine have already reached the quarterfinals after winning their respective knock-out round contests.
Both teams started the game with pace and went all out to get the lead in the do-or-die fixture. During the first 15 minutes, Spain kept possession of the ball while Morocco had only 26 percent possession, as no one team could attack the goalpost. Morocco also missed a free kick, as Spain spurned the ball bit away from the post in the 25th minute of the game, as they wasted a golden opportunity to change the scoreboard in their favor.
After 30 minutes of the first half match was scoreless but both teams show aggression and attacked the opponents’ goalpost but failed to guide the ball into the goal. Mostly the time, the Spanish guys kept the ball in control but they attempted seven fouls in this effort. Morocco did three fouls, as Spain attacked twice in the 34th and 35th minutes of the crucial fixture. Morocco’s defenders did not allow Spanish players to get the lead. In the 42nd and 43rd minutes, Morocco muffed two occasions to net the ball. A fraction of the last, Spain again missed a golden chance to make the score 1-0 at halftime.
Although, in the first half Spain controlled the ball maximum time and created three possibilities to kick the ball into the net, as players of both teams display an aggressive and fast game in the first 45 minutes. Goalkeepers of both sides made their best efforts to stop the rivals’ attempts and spectators applauded their performance in the first half, which ended 0-0.
Spain’s Torres shoot accurately on target to score a goal in the 54th minute of the match, from the left flank a free kick was right on target, which was brilliantly protected by Morocco goalkeeper Bono. Spain’s coach made the first change of the match and replaced Gavi with M Asensio in the 62nd minute of the game. Spain wasted two more occasions to earn the lead in the 88th minute and during injury time, as both teams were aggressive in the injury time but no one could make the goal. After 90 minutes of regular time score was 0-0, as in the 4th minute Morocco’s goalkeeper blocked a free kick bravely and saved the blushes of his team. At the final whistle, the score was 0-0 on the scoreboard.
Extra time of 30 minutes was given to make the decision of the match, as Morocco’s forward wasted a golden opportunity in the 104th minute of the match, as the Spanish goalkeeper stopped the ball with his right leg. Spain also targeted the opposite goalpost twice in the first part of extra time but that could be fruitful for Spain. Morocco forward player Youssef En-Nesyri was alone with the ball near the box but could not make it a historical finish. Spain squandered an open goal chance when merely 30 seconds were left for the final whistle. Match ended goalless after 120 minutes of the game, as both teams lost countless chances to score a goal
After 120 minutes, five penalty shoots were given to each team to decide the quarterfinalist team of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Bono defended 2 penalty shoots back to back and the first kick was hit back from the goalpost, as Morocco reached the quarterfinal of the Qatar World Cup 2022. The final score was 3-0.
Morocco XIs:
Bono (Goalkeeper), Achref Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, Romain Saiss, Noussair Mazraovi, Azzedine Ounahi, Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Ammallah, Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal
Spain XIs
U Simon (Goalkeeper), J Alba, A Laporte, Rodzi, Mllorante, Pedri, S Busquets, Gavi, D Olmo, M Asmsio, F Torrer
Quarterfinals Line-up:
1st Quarterfinal: Brazil vs Croatia
2nd Quarterfinal: Argentina vs Netherlands
3rd Quarterfinal: Morocco vs Portugal / Switzerland
4th Quarterfinal: France vs England
1st Semifinal on December 9, 2022
2nd Semifinal on December 10, 2022
3rd Position Play-off on December 17, 2022
Final on December 18, 2022
