Morocco 0-0 Spain (Morocco win 3-0 on penalties): It’s a Beautiful Day for Bono.
Achraf Hakimi scored the winning penalty in a shootout to fire the Atlas Lions into their first ever World Cup 2022 quarter final and send highly fancied Spain home.
Morocco have been rock solid in the competition so far and they put on a defensive masterclass to keep a clean sheet in two hours of attack versus defence. Spain just failed to break the Atlas Lions down and, despite having 75 per cent possession, La Roja only managed to get seven shots away in the first 95 minutes and one on target (the same as Morocco). In the fifth minute of injury time Dani Olmo put a delicious ball into the danger zone which just needed a touch but it didn’t materialize and extra time beckoned.
Morocco had a huge chance, four minutes into the extra 30, when Sofyan Amrabat put Walid Cheddira clean through, but the striker ran out of steam and Aymeric Laporte intervened before he could pull the trigger. Spain still had more of the possession and, since bringing Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams on, they managed to get behind the Morocco defence; but the Atlas Lions had another great chance on 14 minutes of extra time, when Cheddira again was hesitant and fired a tame shot straight at Unai Simon.
Williams, a possible summer target for Liverpool, was a constant threat for Spain and almost fashioned a goal as time ticked on, but all too often La Roja were guilty of overplaying when they got near the Morocco goal: until the very last minute of the game when Pablo Sarabia met a deep cross with a sweetly struck volley which hit the far post and flew to safety.
Poor Sarabia was the first Spaniard to take a spot-kick, he was brought on for the purpose, and he hit the post again. Morocco keeper Bono saved Carlos Soler’s effort but Simon guessed the right way to keep out Badr Benoun’s penalty. Bono saved Sergio Busquet’s bullet and then Hakimi chipped his effort down the centre to send the Morocco fans into dreamland.
The World Cup 2022 betting odds had the Atlas Lions well outside the top eight in the world, but that’s where they are right now. For Spain, it’s a cruel, cruel game. This was the third major finals in a row in which La Roja has gone out on penalties, every time dominating the game.
Portugal 6-1 Switzerland: No Ronaldo, no problem
21 year old Goncalo Ramos announced himself on the world stage with a hat-trick as Portugal destroyed the normally resolute Switzerland. Here at SBOTOP we billed this match as a clash of styles, similar to the Morocco vs Spain match, Portugal the likely attackers with their quick passing football. And so it was. But the difference between the Selecao and La Roja was the way Portugal actually turned possession into goals, and quickly. And so it was no surprise when Ramos scored the opener but the manner in which he did it was simply stunning. Portugal had the Swiss defence spinning with their quick passing and when Ramos found some space on the left side of the penalty area he hit a bullet into the roof of the net, beating Yann Sommer at his near post,
Take a look at the World Cup 2022 highlights when you get the chance, this was an incredible strike, totally unstoppable and from a tight angle. Fernando Santos’ decision to blood the young Benfica star and bench Cristiano Ronaldo was vindicated.
Portugal’s second goal came from the oldest man ever to score at the World Cup knockout phases and this time the Swiss defence might have done better. 39 year old Pepe had the freedom of the penalty area as he rose to meet a cross and plant his header past Sommer and into the net. And, 55 minutes into the game Portugal were out of sight as Ramos drilled home a cross from Diogo Dalot on 51 and, while the Selecao fans were still celebrating, Raphael Guerreiro got in on the act, ghosting through the Swiss defence and smashing his shot into the roof of the net.
It is not often Switzerland get such a hiding but this was a sensational display from Santos’ team, worthy of the Brazilian Selecao. Manchester City centre back Manuel Akanji poked home a consolation for the Swiss but then Ramos made it five, latching on to a through ball from Joao Felix and dinking his shot over Sommer. Hat-trick for Ramos and there was still time for substitute Rafael Leao to make it six of the best.
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