Spain are out of the World Cup after losing a penalty shootout to Morocco 3-0 at the last-16 stage, as the Qatar tournament saw another huge shock unfold.
Luis Enrique, who surprisingly went with Marcos Llorente at right-back, saw his side have 70 per cent possession in the first-half but create few chances in a largely dull 45 minutes.
They had a bright three-minute spell with Gavi hitting the crossbar after a mistake at the back, but an offside flag was raised, and Marcos Asensio smashing a shot into the side-netting, but for the most part the North African side defended well.
Morocco rarely ventured forward but should have broken the deadlock when an unmarked Nayef Aguerd headed over the bar from close range.
The second-half had much of the same disjointed play which led to Alvaro Morata and Carlos Soler coming on around the hour mark, while Abde Ezzalzouli came on for the Atlas Lions. But it failed to yield a goal with Morata wastefully heading over in the last minute from a Soler freekick.
In extra time, Walid Cheddira spurned two big chances to score. Aymeric Laporte got back to nick the ball away after the striker took too long to shoot, and minutes later he shot straight at Unai Simon.
Enrique’s side were largely wasteful in the final third but could have nicked it in the dying seconds when Pablo Sarabia’s volley from a tight angle shaved the post.
In the shootout, Sarabia – again – hit the post, while Soler’s tame effort and Sergio Busquets’ spotkick were both saved by Yassine Bounou.
And Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi converted his penalty to send Morocco through to the quarter-finals and see Spain suffer more shootout misery.
TALKING POINT
Spain fail to learn lessons from recent tournaments.
This team has plenty of goals in their locker, putting seven past Costa Rica and five past both Slovakia and Croatia in the Euros last year. But despite that they opted to try and pass Morocco to death, showing a lack of directness from both set pieces and in open play. And the decision to start Asensio as a centre-forward with the in-form Morata on the bench backfired. It is the third tournament running the Spanish have been knocked out on penalties.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco): The Fiorentina man won the midfield battle with his work-rate, defensive abilities and tenacity. He did not stop running for 120 minutes and also linked up well with the attacking players.
PLAYER RATINGS
MOROCCO: Bounou 6, Hakimi 6, Mazraoui 6, Aguerd 7, Saiss 7, Amrabat 9, Amallah 6, Ounahi 5, Ziyech 5, Boufal 7, En-Nesyri 6. Subs: Abde 5, Cheddira 6, Sabiri 5, Attah-Allah 5, Yamiq 5, Benoun n/a.
SPAIN: Simon 5, Llorente 5, Laporte 6, Rodri 6, Jordi Alba 6, Busquets 5, Gavi 6, Pedri 5, Torres 5, Olmo 5, Asensio 6. Subs: Morata 6, Soler 6, N Williams 6, Fati 5, Balde 5, Sarabia n/a.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
25′- BAR! Morocco lose it at the back and Gavi’s side-footer hits the bar, the rebound from Torres is charged down but the flag goes up.
41′ – FREE KICK: Its midway in the Spain half. Its not cleared. Boufal’s cross is headed over by an unmarked Aguerd.
90′ – CHANCE! From the freekick around 25 yards out to the left side of the area, Soler’s delivery finds Morata who heads it miles off target.
114′ – BIG CHANCE! Lovely footwork from Ziyech, he threads it through to Cheddira whose shot is straight at Simon.
