A Morocco Encounter Gone Horribly Wrong For Spain In Qatar

The Qatar World Cup round of 16 games were beginning to look like a one way traffic wherein the favorites and the presumed so called big guns were scheming past the underdogs with ease, specifically for the African teams, till Morocco came up to show how it’s done by beating one of the big guns in Spain.

A lot of people might act surprised but knowing how far the Morocco team has come along in the preliminary stage to qualify out of the group with maximum points, it was much of the shocker beating a Spain side whose first game had flattered to deceive.

The round of 16 game was a show of strength and resilience for the North African side as they exhibited their maturity and confidence despite Spain looking to overwhelm them with their possession based football and tiki taka passing routine.

Credit to the Spain team, they saw their chances, they could have made maximum use of them but a score line that ends 0-0 at full time 90 minutes, lends credence to the fact that Morocco just about has one of the best defense in the Qatar World Cup tournament so far.

The only goal Morocco has conceded in Qatar came through the hands of their own man rather than the opponent, hence to score Morocco, you need to get their own man to do it, because getting past this North African side’s defense is much harder than a horse going through the eye of the needle.

It was the eye of the needle for Spain at the end when all was said and done, as the game went into extra 30 minutes to separate both sides in a goalless draw.

The 30 minutes eventually wasn’t enough though and it only took the intervention of the Morocco goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou to decide the fate of the game with 2 penalty saves in the penalty shootout; a flashback to Japan vs. Croatia.

Yassine Bounou saved from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets while Pablo Sarabia hit the post to kick Spain officially from the tournament.

Again, Morocco remain unbeaten in the tournament, yet to concede a goal from an opposition player.