Dour Spain defeat to vibrant Morocco spells the end for their footballing philosophy 🟢GARSIDEK for iPaperSport
— What a moment to be Achraf Hakimi. What a time to be Moroccan, darlings of Arab North Africa and World Cup quarter-finalists for the first time. It fell to the nation’s poster boy to deliver the final blow, a cucumber-cool penalty after 120 goalless minutes.
Spain failed to register with each of their first three kicks, a fine footballing edifice brought down by their own blunt tools. Like Croatia 24 hours earlier, Morocco could afford to miss one themselves before Hakimi calmly brought the hammer down with a kick to spare. It felt like the whole of Morocco was gathered in the Education City Stadium, the place shaken to its foundations by the unfolding tumult.
For Spain it was the end, perhaps, of a philosophical outlook. Rondo, and the false nine theory that accompanies it, appears dead. The Spanish aesthetes were cancelled out by the athletes of Morocco, a vibrant, fearless ensemble who met the ceaseless recycling of possession with stout disregard. Following the seven-goal salvo with which they opened the tournament, Spain had scored only twice in the remaining group games. A barren 120 minutes here left them vulnerable to the ambush. They might have succumbed twice in extra time. Only a beautifully timed tackle by Aymeric Laporte and a fine save from Unai Simon denied Abde Ezzalzouli twice.
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