Yahoo News Morocco 0-0 Spain LIVE! Penalties - World Cup 2022 result, match stream, latest reaction and updates today
Achraf Hakimi calmly converted a penalty to send Morocco through to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time with a 3-0 shootout win over former champions Spain after a cagey last-16 clash ended goalless on Tuesday. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved spot-kicks from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets after Pablo Sarabia had hit the post and Spanish-born Hakimi held his nerve to earn his team a quarter-final against either Portugal or Switzerland.
Morocco became only the fourth African nation to reach the last eight of the tournament, 12 years after Ghana did so in South Africa. It was the fourth time Spain have been knocked out of the World Cup on penalties and the second in a row.
After a scrappy match finished deadlocked at 0-0 after extra time with few shots on target, Morocco fed off the raucous support of their red-clad supporters in the shootout as Spain crumbled. Spain enjoyed more than 75% of possession and completed almost 800 passes but Morocco caused problems for them on the counter-attack and goalkeeper Unai Simon made some good saves. Read back our Morocco vs Spain with Standard Sport’s blog, featuring expert analysis from Nizaar Kinsella at Education City Stadium!
Morocco vs Spain updates
HAKIMI WINS IT! Panenka penalty makes history
CHANCE! Cheddira misses THREE times
END OF 90MINS: Extra time needed
Morocco 3 - 0 Spain
Jubilant Morocco fans celebrate in London
19:57 , George Flood
Jubilant Moroccans poured onto the streets of London on Tuesday evening as their nation sensationally triumphed over Spain in the World Cup last-16.
Flares were lit on Edgware Road after Morocco defeated Spain on penalties, sparkiing wild celebrations as the north Africans progressed to the quarter-finals for the first time ever.
Videos posted to social media show delighted supporters spilling out onto the busy west London street draped in Morocco flags. Some beeped car horns while others were seen dancing while holding red flares – the colour of the country’s flag.
Fans also gathered in Piccadilly Circus and along Oxford Street in central London.
Click here to read the full story
17:58 , Alex Young
Ice cold from Achraf Hakimi.
17:53 , Alex Young
Let’s not take anything away from Bono though. He saved THREE penalties.
17:51 , Alex Young
Spain players are in tears, Spain fans are in tears, Morocco players are in tears, Morocco fans are in tears.
17:48 , Alex Young
That is one of the boldest things I have ever seen on a football pitch.
Hitting a panenka and then doing a penguin dance. Give him the Golden Ball now.
17:46 , Alex Young
Hakimi can send Morocco into a first ever World Cup quarter-final...
HE HITS A PANENKA!!!!! HE’S DONE IT!!!
17:45 , Alex Young
Busquets really needs to score here... and his effort is SAVED!
Oh my word!
17:44 , Alex Young
Benoun, also a sub... IS DENIED!
Simon with the save. A poor pen, that.
17:43 , Alex Young
Soler up for Spain... and his pen is SAVED!
17:42 , Alex Young
Ziyech up next for Morocco.
Straight down the middle! Morocco 2-0 up!
17:41 , Alex Young
Sarabia was brought on for these.
He’s first up for Spain and... HITS THE POST!
17:40 , Alex Young
Sabiri up first... AND SCORES!
Sends Simon the wrong way.
17:39 , Alex Young
Morocco to go first.
17:39 , Alex Young
We’ve had the coin toss.
We’re going to penalties
17:35 , Alex Young
123min: That was the last chance. It’s time for a shootout.
OFF THE POST!
17:34 , Alex Young
122min: Sarabia at the back post but he’s volley flashes across the face of goal and he hits the back post!
17:32 , Alex Young
121min: Busquets’ shot is blocked on the edge of the area. Only Spain are pushing for a winner here.
17:31 , Alex Young
120min: It comes to nothing. Three minutes added on.
17:31 , Alex Young
119min: Final minute of extra time, Spain win a corner.
17:28 , Alex Young
117min: Now it’s Spain’s turn to waste a chance as Morata is in two minds over shooting or finding Williams, eventually opts for the latter and hits the ball straight out of play.
17:27 , Alex Young
115min: A third huge chance for Cheddira, a third huge chance wasted as he runs towards goals, again waits far too long and the chance goes begging.
If Morocco don’t win this now...
Nizaar Kinsella at Education City Stadium
17:23 , Alex Young
“Safe to say that Morocco are playing for 0-0. This game almost feels like a mirror image of Spain’s exit against Russia in 2018.”
17:22 , Alex Young
110min: There’s 10 minutes to find a goal and Morocco may lose their captain as Saiss requires treatment on his left leg.
17:19 , Alex Young
107min: Ansu Fati is straight on the front foot to find Soler, but the final touch is lacking - much as it has been all game.
Second half of extra time
17:17 , Alex Young
105min: Back under way.
Half-time in extra time
17:16 , Alex Young
106min: What an ending. More to come.
Cheddira is all smiles, but I’m not sure why.
17:12 , Alex Young
103min: Cheddira does everything right again, apart from the finish as he fires straight at Simon.
HUGE chance.
17:08 , Alex Young
99min: Fantastic from Morata, who finally escapes the clutches of the Morocco defence to stand a ball up at the back post but there’s a defence to head clear.
This Morocco display is something else.
17:04 , Alex Young
94min: The whole of Morocco are screaming ‘shoooooooot’ as Cheddira drives towards goal but he waits, and waits and waits and then gets tackled inside the area.
What a chance.
Extra time
16:58 , Alex Young
91min: Back underway.
End of 90 minutes
16:53 , Alex Young
96min: We’re heading for extra time.
16:51 , Alex Young
93min: Now it’s Morocco’s chance to push - and about time too as they haven’t tested Simon in this second half - but after a penalty area scramble the offside flag halts proceedings.
16:47 , Alex Young
89min: Five minutes added on. Spain are really pushing now, and subs Morata and Williams at the centre of everything.
16:41 , Alex Young
84min: Aguerd cannot continue. Another blow for Morocco. El Yamiq is on.
16:38 , Alex Young
82min: So close! Morata gets to the byline and fizzes a driven pass almost along the goal line, but no one is there to tap home.
16:36 , Alex Young
79min: Fantastic from Williams, who makes space on the right before whiping a low ball in towards Olmo at the near post, but Morocco hack clear.
16:32 , Alex Young
75min: Torres’ time is up. Williams is on.
16:32 , Alex Young
73min: Olmo wants a free kick on the edge of the area after turning and being felled by Amrabat, but the refereeing isn’t having it - which is odd.
16:26 , Alex Young
70min: First half sight of goal for Morata, who darts into the area but is quickly wiped out by Aguerd - who is now limping after a fine tackle.
16:25 , Alex Young
68min: That’s a big blow for Morocco, who haven’t managed to test Simon in this half and will now likely find it even tougher.
16:23 , Alex Young
66min: Boufal going off, to a hero’s send-off. Ezzalzouli is on.
16:21 , Alex Young
65min: Boufal has picked up a limp. He looks OK, for now, but I’m not sure how long that’ll last.
16:19 , Alex Young
63min: Gavi and Asensio off, Morata and Soler are on.
16:18 , Alex Young
62min: Almost time for Morata.
Nizaar Kinsella at Education City Stadium
16:17 , Alex Young
“Manchester City defender Rodri has had 115 touches of the ball. It signifies that he is playing well but also that Morocco are allowing him and Aymeric Laporte possession after watching Japan do the same.”
16:11 , Alex Young
55min: Fantastic effort from Olmo on the left-hand side as Asensio rolls a short free kick a yard inside so his team-mate can get a better angle at goal. He stings Bono’s hands.
16:10 , Alex Young
51min: Infantino, in the stands and looking at his phone, is shown on the big screen. He may be lucky the Morocco fans are whistling so loudly already.
16:07 , Alex Young
49min: Half a chance for Spain as Torres is pulled back by Mazraoui, to win a free kick. It’s whipped in but En-Nesyri heads clear from inside the area.
Second half
16:03 , Alex Young
46min: Back underway.
15:50 , Alex Young
A frantic and thrilling first half, but no goals.
More of the same, please (plus some goals).
Half-time
15:47 , Alex Young
47min: Spain with a late chance as Olmo stretches inside the area but Morocco hack it clear as the whistle goes.
15:46 , Alex Young
45min: One minute added on.
15:46 , Alex Young
44min: Now Laporte scrambles to send a Ziyech cross away from danger. They are pushing.
15:43 , Alex Young
41min: Over the bar! Morocco’s best chance so far as Boufal twists and turns and stands up a cross at the back post for an unmarked Aguerd to head over.
Almost sitter territory, that.
15:39 , Alex Young
35min: Morocco getting deeper and deeper. Spain trying their luck through Torres on the right, who is being double- and triple-manned by Morocco, which is currently having the desired effect.
15:37 , Alex Young
31min: Spain starting to assert sustained pressure now. Morocco fans whistle louder.
15:28 , Alex Young
27min: Asensio finally breaches Morocco’s defence to hit the side netting for Spain’s first shot. It took them 26 minutes to get one away due to the intensity with which Morocco are defending.
15:27 , Alex Young
25min: Oof, a lucky escape for Morocco keeper Bono, who gives away possession cheaply which leads to Spain hitting the crossbar... only for the offside flag to be raised.
Bono needs to calm a bit, perhaps.
15:24 , Alex Young
23min: Boufal is enjoying himself, turning Llorente inside and out to kickstart another cross, which falls apart from Ziyech attempt is charged down.
15:21 , Alex Young
21min: Morocco are so fired up for what is essentially a home game for them, hunting Spain as soon as they dare to cross the halfway line.
15:18 , Alex Young
17min: Spain bossing possession but doing the square root of nowt with it so far. Are Spain trying to draw Morocco out? Well, it’s not working.
15:13 , Alex Young
13min: Little bit of hesitation from Bono sees Asensio sense an opportunity in the area, but Morocco work well to clear.
15:11 , Alex Young
11min: First sight of goal for Morocco as Hakimi bends a free kick from around 25 yards over the bar. Never troubling Simon.
15:10 , Alex Young
9min: Morocco seeing more of the ball - more than ‘zero’ - now. Llorente is already overlapping down the flank for Spain.
15:08 , Alex Young
6min: Morocco look a dangerous threat on the break. Boufal gets in behind down the left but his cross into the area is cut out.
15:04 , Alex Young
3min: Morocco fans far outnumber their Spanish counterparts inside the stadium, and as such La Roja getting roundly booed whenever they are on the ball - which is every second at the moment.
Kick-off!
15:01 , Alex Young
1min: Here we go!
14:58 , Alex Young
Teams are out, anthems sung. Moments away.
Nizaar Kinsella at Education City Stadium
14:53 , Alex Young
“Morocco manager Walid Regragui hugging each of his players before they line up in the tunnel. This is a guy who has won it all in his home country including the African Champions League with Wydad AC.
“A rising star of the coaching world up against Spain’s Luis Enrique.”
14:52 , Alex Young
An interesting fact about this game ahead of kick-off.
Today is a national holiday in Spain; Dia de la Constitucion, which means ‘Constitution Day’, marks the Spanish transition to democracy.
Anywhere, we are about eight minutes away.
Nizaar Kinsella at Education City Stadium
14:38 , Alex Young
“I am inside Education City Stadium after a 4-minute walk around the perimeter. These facilities are vast in Qatar but it did help me see a lot of the supporters on the way around. There's a staggering number of Morocco fans at this match and they will outnumber Spain by some distance. Will it help? We shall see.”
14:33 , Alex Young
Morocco start today's game as underdogs but they are ready to play another "final" to upset the 2010 champions, 36 years after their last appearance at this stage of the tournament.
"It's going to be a very difficult game against one of the best teams in the world, they're among the top favourites," coach Walid Regragui said.
"We have, however, our own qualities, and we've had an extra day of recuperation. If we can knock them out, it will be a big surprise.
"I told the players, before the World Cup, we're playing only finals here. We've played three finals in the group phase and now it's our fourth final."
14:28 , Alex Young
Nizaar Kinsella checks in.
"This is a huge game. If you consider the history between these two teams, it's massive."
It's almost time for the penultimate last-16 clash. Here's @NizaarKinsella.
LIVE: https://t.co/6qJZ8pg6KY#FIFAWorldCup | #Qatar2022 | #MAR | #ESP pic.twitter.com/afV4DsKD9G— Standard Sport (@standardsport) December 6, 2022
14:09 , Alex Young
Hundreds of Morocco fans have flown into Qatar over the last few days in a mad scramble for last-minute tickets.
Reuters report that Morocco's matches have also been testing for organisers: there was pushing and shoving outside the stadium as ticketless fans gathered ahead of its Dec. 1 defeat of Canada, with some trying to climb the fence.
Desperate to attend today's match, more than 1,000 Moroccan fans gathered at the official ticketing office on Monday night. Reuters journalists saw at least two scuffles and riot police deploy as the crowd swelled.
One fan said many had left empty-handed. Some said they had come after seeing social media posts saying the Moroccan embassy and football association would distribute free tickets.
The Moroccan embassy said on Twitter that it had handed out 500 tickets to Moroccans living in Qatar. The Moroccan football team's official Facebook page had said FIFA had made 5,000 extra tickets available for Morocco fans.
Hakimi passed fit
13:55 , Alex Young
As for Morocco, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and Achraf Hakimi overcame injury issues to start in the win over Canada and keep their place.
Walid Regragui has enjoyed a strong degree of consistency with his line-up during the World Cup and he is likely to trust his regular XI from the start against Spain.
Poor Alvaro
13:51 , Alex Young
Luis Enrique has recalled several of his key players to Spain’s starting line-up for today’s last-16 clash with Morocco at the World Cup, but Alvaro Morata again misses out.
Aymeric Laporte and Jordi Alba return after sitting out the defeat to Japan but Marcos Llorente is favoured ahead of Dani Carvajal and Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back.
Chelsea’s Azpilicueta did not train on Friday due to a knock to his leg, along with Dani Olmo and reserve goalkeeper David Raya. Olmo is fit to start.
Up front, the key question was whether Alvaro Morata or Marco Asensio will get the nod to spearhead the attack, and it’s the latter alongside Ferran Torres.
Spain XI
13:38 , Alex Young
Alvaro Morata misses out!
Spain XI: Simon; Marcos Llorente, Rodri, Laporte, Alba; Gavi, Busquets, Pedri; Torres, Asensio, Olmo
Morocco XI
13:38 , Alex Young
As expected.
Morocco XI: Bono; Mazraoui, Aguerd, Saïss, Hakimi; Amrabat, Amallah, Ounahi; Boufal, En-Nesyri, Ziyech
13:30 , Alex Young
Luis Enrique is not concerned by Spain's loss to Japan, insisting: "I couldn't care less about the result, I want to control what I can control as a coach.
"I encourage my players to forget about the result too, the result will come.
"Football is not always a fair game. I'm convinced we have more merits than Morocco. If we don't, I'll be totally fine.
"Our philosophy is the same. We try and entertain the fans so they have fun watching us. We shouldn't just go and get the victory, we need to entertain the spectators."
Morocco the locals’ favs
13:12 , Alex Young
As the last Arab team at the World Cup, Morocco have become arguably the most popular side on the ground in Qatar.
Morocco are the final hope of a country from outside Europe and South America reaching the last eight. A feat the Atlas Lions have never before achieved.
Locals and migrants have been getting behind Walid Regragui’s side, who topped their group ahead of Croatia, Belgium and Canada. The Atlas Lions conceded just one goal in three group matches and are optimistic of their chances against a Spain side who were stunned by Japan.
This is only the second time in six World Cup appearances that Morocco have reached the last 16, and they lost their previous knock-out game in 1986.
But the prospect of a Muslim country in the quarter-finals has generated excitement among Qataris, who seemed to have more interest in Brazil and Argentina at the start of the tournament.
Score prediction: Atlas Lions to make history
13:01 , Alex Young
The Atlas Lions are riding the crest of a wave at the moment.
So strong defensively and against a Spain team not packed with goals - Costa Rica game aside - pulling off a shock cannot be ruled out.
Morocco to win 2-0.
Spain team news: Morata pushing to start
12:53 , Alex Young
Cesar Azpilicueta and Dani Olmo missed training after the defeat to Japan with knocks, as did David Raya, but are expected to be fit for Spain.
Luis Enrique largely rotated his line-up for that game so will recall Jordi Alba and Aymeric Laporte to his defence. Alvaro Morata and Marco Asensio are competing to start up front.
Morocco team news: Unchanged XI
12:44 , Alex Young
Morocco boss Walid Regragu was afforded the chance of bringing off star players Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi during their last outing, so they will be well rested.
It will likely be an untouched line-up from the Atlas Lions.
How to watch
12:38 , Alex Young
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on ITV, with coverage starting at 2pm.
Live stream: Fans can catch the game for free online via the ITVX app and ITV website.
Welcome
12:29 , Alex Young
Hello and welcome to the Evening Standard’s LIVE coverage of the World Cup last-16 clash between Morocco and Spain.
The African nation have reached this stage for just the second time, and the first since 1986. La Roja will be looking to reach their seventh quarter-final.
We have Nizaar Kinsella at the Education City Stadium ahead of kick-off at 3pm GMT. Stick with us.
