Immediately after scoring the final penalty and sent Morocco to the quarter-final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 for the first time ever, Morocco and PSG player Achraf Hakimi ran over to the stands at the Education City stadium to celebrate with his mother. 

Also read: Fans criticise Spain after dismal show against Morocco in the FIFA World Cup 2022

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Led by Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, Hakimi and Sofyan Amrabat, Morocco have been the showstoppers of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Their defensive game has caught the attention of all football lovers as they remain goalless going into the quarter finals.

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Spain maintained 77% possession in the match and completed 1019 passes with an accuracy of 91%. However, it proved to be ineffective with both teams playing a goalless draw at the end of extra time.

Spain received a lot of flak from fans and without the fireworks that were seen against Costa Rica in their first group stage match, the sophisticated passing and ball-holding looked drab.

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When the match went into penalty shootout, the heroics of the Morocco goalie Yassine Bounou stood out. He saved all four of Spain’s penalties, which includes shots from a veteran like Sergio Busquets as well as Spain’s young guns like Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Soler. 

Morocco will now be facing Portugal in the quarter finals. Portugal sent Switzerland home later on Tuesday with an emphatic 6-1 win that saw debutant Goncalo Ramos scoring the first hattrick of the tournament.

However, if Morocco manage to win, they will become the first African team ever to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup. 

In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Ghana came close to achieving the feat before being knocked out by Uruguay. As a result, when they take on Portugal, the hopes and prayers of the entire continent will be with them.