WORLD CUP: Same old story for Spain, crashing out in a penalty shootout

AL RAYYAN — It’s always the same old tragic story with Spain.

For all its talent and ability, it can be frustrating watching them try and pass its opponents to death, only to go down in a penalty shootout.

Just as it was four years ago in Russia and at the recent Euro championships, Spain crashed out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, falling to Morocco in a penalty shootout after dominating possession, but being unable to score in 120 minutes of play.

Spain kept 63% of the possession to 20% for Morocco here at the Education City Stadium, but it’s the North Africans that advanced to the quarterfinal for the first time in their history. Morocco will play the winner between Portugal and Switzerland, who conclude the second round of the tournament.

“We are hurt and frustrated over what happened here,” Spain forward Ferran Torres said. “We’re a very young team and I’m sure we’ll learn from this lesson. For a lot of us this was our first World Cup, and I thought we had played well in all of our games, even though we didn’t get the results.

“We’re going to take a few days to reflect on this and then go back to our clubs, then when we gather again from the national team, we’re going to be stronger.”

Substitute Abdelhamid Sabiri, striker Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi scored for Morocco in the shootout, while Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and captain Sergio Busquets missed for Spain.

Morocco goalkeeper stopped Yassine Bounou stopped Soler and Busquets while Sarabia hit the goal post, much to the delight of the 44,667 mostly Moroccan fans in attendance.

“I’m happy with the players that we have and I wouldn’t change them for anything,” Spain coach Luis Enrique said. “If anyone is responsible for anything, it’s me. I congratulate my players for the way they competed, for how they acted in general in this World Cup.

“Obviously, we’re upset because the fans are disappointed and we knew we had great potential and we haven’t been able to achieve that with our results, that’s what makes it frustrating.”

Sarabia was brought on two minutes from the end of the game, specifically to take a penalty, and he almost won the contest with the last kick of extra time, getting to a cross at the back post and hitting it off the other post.

The opportunity in the 123rd minute was the best Spain would have in the game as it wasn’t until late in the contest that it started to get bold in its attacks.

For some reason, Spain was reluctant to swing the ball into the penalty area on corner kicks or other opportunities, until late into the second half and extra time as a penalty shootout loomed.

It took Spain far too long to show urgency, content to pass the ball around for most of the game, waiting for an opportunity to open up. Spain was far too predictable, as it has been for so long.

Morocco did all of the chasing in the first half, but were mostly content with Spain playing the ball from one sideline to another. Morocco threatened whenever it would eventually break up a Spanish move and was most dangerous with Sofiane Boufal down the left side.

Boufal created an excellent opportunity just before the end of the half, showing off some fancy footwork to make room for a cross from the left of the Spain penalty area. The cross found the head of centre back Nayef Aguerd, but he scuffed it, perhaps wondering how he was left so alone in front.

Spain completed 988 passes in the game to 238 for Morocco, but it’s Spain which is going home after starting the tournament so brightly with a 7-0 victory against Costa Rica. Spain then drew 1-1 with Germany and lost 2-1 to Japan, in a game they did not seem too eager to draw, considering it was getting Morocco instead of Croatia in the next round.

A ball over the top every now and then may have opened up the tightly bunched Morocco defence, but when asked about perhaps employing such a tactic in the pre-game news conference the day before, Enrique defended his country’s style of play.

The tiki-taka style of short passes is a common trait in Spanish soccer and was successful for them in winning the 2010 World Cup, beating everyone 1-0, but the complexity of having to put together a series of 10 or more passes together before threatening an opponent’s goal makes it easy to break down.

It’s possession, but without much purpose, and when Spain does get the ball back, it’s almost as if it has to reset the pass count.

Morocco, meanwhile, become the Cinderella story of this tournament as the only non-European or South American team to advance to the final eight.

Morocco clinched a spot in the second round after defeating Canada 2-1 in its final group game. Canada came within inches of tying the game when Atiba Hutchinson’s header bounced down off the back of the goal line after hitting the underside of the crossbar.

“Our players were extraordinary tonight, with the energy and the determination not to lose this match,” Morocco head coach Walid Regragui said. “They were so determined to try and defend against of the best teams in the world and they keep the ball for so long and they made us work very hard.

“We knew we were going to face that type of match, so we did play a little bit like we did against Belgium (counter attacking) and we were able to adapt to our opponent.”

Email: dvandiest@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @DerekVanDiest

Postmedia’s soccer expert Derek Van Diest is on the ground in Qatar to cover every kickoff of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Subscribe today and get access to all his coverage.

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