North African Nationa, Morocco on Tuesday night defeated Spain on penalties to advance to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history after a breathtaking game that finished goalless at full time.
The spirited Moroccan side won the shoot-out 3-0 after Spain failed to convert all three of their spot kicks during the shoot-out.
It was shocking because Spain coach, Luis Enrique had earlier 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 country to the delight of Morocco’s raucous support.
Following the victory, Walid Regragui’s side will face Portugal in what is uncharted territory for them, with their previous best a last-16 exit in 1986.
Luis Enrique trialled his third right-back of the tournament in Marcos Llorente, and benched the team’s top scorer Alvaro Morata for Marco Asensio, after the shock defeat by Japan.
Spain monopolised the ball, with Morocco’s fans furiously whistling with their side out of possession.
Morocco, who are the last African and Arab side left standing at the first World Cup held in an Arab country, were intensely backed and their fans greatly outnumbered Spain’s.
Regragui’s side sat deep defensively and threatened on the counter, with Unai Simon beating away a long range effort from Noussair Mazraoui.
Sofiane Boufal, who bypassed Llorente like sand slipping through the Spaniard’s fingers early on, carved the best chance of the half for Nayef Aguerd, who headed inches over.
Bounou pummelled away a Dani Olmo strike from an angle as the tension cranked up after the break.
Bounou made a fine save from Olmo’s free-kick as it almost snuck all the way through, with Spain finally creating stronger chances as the game frayed in the moments before extra-time.
Morocco responded in the additional period by finding stability and testing Simon, who made a fine save with his legs to deny Walid Cheddira after he broke in down Spain’s left flank.
Despite heavy pressure by Spain in the final moments before penalties, they could not trouble the Sevilla goalkeeper again, with Pablo Sarabia clipping the outside of the post, although he might have been offside.
Having been sent on apparently for the shoot-out, Sarabia struck the post again from Spain’s first penalty, after Abdelhamid Sabiri had sent Morocco ahead.
Soler and Busquets missed, while Hakim Ziyech scored, before Hakimi netted against his birth country to ignite wild celebrations.