Morocco took advantage of Spain’s ineffectiveness and scored on penalties to reach the quarter-finals

without goals there is no paradise. Spain knows this, having had the ball for most of the 120 minutes and was unable to scream even on penalties. He missed the three kicks he kicked: Sarabia on the stick and Linkwho doesn’t need a machete because he saves at Sevilla, he saved Soler and Busquets.

Crazy world, yes. Morocco, team that changed coach three months before the start of the World Cup (Walid Regragui replaced the sacked Vahid Halilhodzic), reached the quarter-finals and it is already his best performance in history, surpassing that of 1986, when he lost on this occasion against Germany.

Spain said goodbye again, as in Russia 2018, in the round of 16 and on penalties. You’ll have to ask yourself how you went from a 7-0 opener against Costa Rica to this goal anemia. Moreover.

Minutes passed and between the ineffectiveness of Spain and the defensive tactics of Morocco, sanctions seemed like a solution. Spain with the ball, always under the deafening whistle of the Moroccan crowd, an absolute majority in Education City, Morocco waiting under the umbrella of a 4-1-4-1. The team of Luis Enrico he had 70% possession without upsetting secure Bono in the first half. The team dressed in blue circled from one end to the other looking for the front door, without realizing that there was no key, that they had to be pushed. Play less and break the monotony.

Luis Enrique insisted on the strange formation that worked for him against Costa Rica: Marcos Asensio in the nine and Dani Olmo on the left wing. The ball didn’t reach Asensio and Olmo only weighed in when he was released from prison, a few times. Asensio freed only one, diving to the left, but it ended up wide. Viola? Sitting on the bench.

On the other side the central steering wheel Sofyan Amrabat He was careful to cover for any gaps and on the left, as a late punt, Sofiane Boufal drove Marcos Llorente crazy with her ability to generate some scares in the red-wearing defence. For example, a cross that Aguerd headed high, very lonely.

Luis Enrique castled Gavi and Pedri and not much has changed. Only in the 17th minute of the second half does Morata enter, centre-forward by profession, by Gavi and Carlos Soler (Messi’s teammate at PSG) by Asensio. Three strikers and a hitch. Immediately, on the other side, Boufal came out, until then the figure of the field. Nothing has changed for Spain.

The second half was a long symphony of boos as Spain always had the ball. At the same time it has become a recital of insignificant touches. Possession has risen to 75 percent, boredom almost 100.

Nico Williams, who replaced Ferran Torres, managed to overflow on the right and gave some electricity to the attack. And Dani Olmo finally managed to get rid of the mark and finish a couple of times.

The overtime had its minimum ecstasy in some overflow of Williamos or Morata and above all in an action in which Morocco abandoned the unique script of the defense and created a one-on-one that Unai Simón saved with his foot against Walid Cheddira. The Moroccans had forgotten that there was an arch on the other side for more than an hour.

The last one, by Pablo Sarabia who kissed the stick, seemed like a sign. And it was a sign. Since the bankruptcy of Spain, owner of the second championship that has given more players to the World Cup (the first is the English one) and with various promises that have not materialised.

Spain applied, but was expelled for lack of goals and for a Morocco convinced of its own, harsh, difficult, but limited. There is more blame than Luis Enrique’s than Walid Regragui’seven if it sounds unfair to the winner.

Moroccan fans are not interested in any of this. They lived their party in Education City. They filled it up, played to their permanent whistles, and walked away happy. They made history and are still at the World Cup. They are the big surprise of Qatareven if the elimination of Spain could take the covers of the newspapers.