5 Spain gamers who underperformed towards Morocco
Luis Enrique’s assured Spain took on Walid Regragui’s unbeaten Morocco within the final 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on the Schooling Metropolis Stadium on Tuesday (6 December). Morocco put in one other heroic shift, preserving the heavyweights at bay and in the end profitable the sport 3-0 on penalties after the rating remained goalless on the finish of additional time.
Spain, as anticipated, dominated possession within the opening exchanges, having fun with 81% of the ball within the first 10 minutes. Morocco, regardless of not seeing the ball almost sufficient, carried extra thread, piercing the Spanish flanks with their pacy wingers.
Within the twelfth minute, Sofiane Boufal was introduced down in a capturing place exterior the field. Achraf Hakimi took the ensuing free-kick however couldn’t maintain his effort heading in the right direction. Fifteen minutes later, Jordi Alba slipped Marcos Asensio previous the Moroccan protection with a neat by way of ball. With solely Yassine Bounou to beat, the Actual Madrid man discovered the left side-netting of the objective.
Within the thirty third minute, Noussair Mazraoui dispossessed Ferran Torres near the Spanish objective. The left-back set himself up and went for objective with a piledriver of a shot. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon initially spilled the shot however ultimately recovered to gather it.
Ten minutes later, a sweeping Moroccan transfer noticed Boufal ship a teasing cross into the field for Naif Aguerd. The West Ham United defender met the supply on the far publish however couldn’t maintain his effort heading in the right direction.
Within the 81st minute, substitute Nico Williams performed a cheeky by way of ball for fellow substitute Alvaro Morata down the precise facet. The striker opened up a little bit of area, however the angle was too slender for him to check Bounou.
Within the closing minute of harm time, Spain received a free-kick in a harmful space. Dani Olmo whipped in a harmful cross into the field, however neither Rodri nor Aymeric Laporte managed to use the telling contact. With the sport degree at 0-0, the match crept into further time.
Two minutes earlier than the top of the primary interval of additional time, Azzedine Ounahi performed substitute Walid Cheddira by way of on objective. He tried to slide the ball between Simon’s legs however noticed his effort saved by the keeper’s robust proper leg.
With the scoreline unchanged, the 2022 FIFA World Cup last-16 conflict between Spain and Morocco went to penalties. Bounou emerged as Morocco’s savior, saving Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets’s penalties, whereas Sarabia hit the publish along with his opener. Abdelhamid Sabiri, Hakim Ziyech, and Hakimi (profitable penalty) put away their kicks to take the Atlas Lions to their first-ever FIFA World Cup quarter-final.
Listed here are 5 Spanish gamers who have been significantly disappointing of their embarrassing World Cup exit on Tuesday:
#5 Marcos Llorente
Spain coach Luis Enrique handed Marcos Llorente his first begin on the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Deployed on the precise flank, Llorente went toe-to-toe with Boufal. The battle turned out to be somewhat lop-sided, because the Moroccan turned him inside out time and time once more over the course of the sport.
Enjoying 120 minutes of soccer, Llorente was dribbled previous a staggering 4 occasions, misplaced each his tried crosses, and misplaced all six of his duels. He additionally misplaced possession 13 occasions, dedicated a foul, and did not create any goalscoring alternatives.
#4 Marco Asensio
Actual Madrid ahead Marco Asensio remained on the fringes within the 2022 FIFA World Cup last-16 conflict towards Morocco. The Africans marked him tightly and saved him from taking part in little one-twos with teammates, thus rendering him fully ineffective. He additionally disappointingly hit the facet netting when slipped by way of on objective by Alba within the twenty seventh minute.
Earlier than being hooked for Alvaro Morata within the 63rd minute, Asensio performed solely 10 correct passes (71.4% accuracy), misplaced his solely tried cross, and misplaced possession 10 occasions.
#3 Sergio Busquets
Spain’s captain Sergio Busquets had a sport to neglect towards Morocco. His passing was correct, however he didn’t pose a menace to the Moroccan protection. Busquets was heckled off the ball fairly a number of occasions and lacked the tempo to maintain up with the opposing midfielders.
Sergio Busquets:🗣️“We deserved to win tonight and qualify to the quarter-final.” https://t.co/zzpcuNvoem
To make issues worse, the Barcelona veteran dispatched a really tame penalty within the shootout, which Bounou saved by diving to his proper.
Busquets didn’t play any key passes, misplaced two lengthy balls, misplaced two of three aerial duels, and ceded possession 11 occasions on Tuesday.
#2 Gavi
Barcelona wonderboy Gavi made historical past on Tuesday, changing into the youngest participant to play in a FIFA World Cup knockout sport since Pele in 1958. Sadly, he did not mark the monumental event with a memorable efficiency. He struggled to become involved, didn’t create any goalscoring alternatives, and misplaced possession fairly a number of occasions over the course of the match.
18-year-old Gavi will become the youngest player to start a knockout game at the men’s World Cup since Pelé in 1958 👶 https://t.co/DTeSvgSJYz
On Tuesday night, Gavi accomplished solely 17 passes (85% accuracy), misplaced seven of 12 duels, misplaced possession seven occasions, and dedicated 4 fouls. He was additionally dribbled previous as soon as and misplaced a cross earlier than being understandably taken off within the 63rd minute.
#1 Ferran Torres
Ferran Torres operated on the precise facet of the Spanish entrance line on Tuesday. The Barcelona ahead proved to be embarrassingly insufficient on that flank, getting outclassed time and time once more by the effervescent Mazraoui.
Reminder that we sold Ferran Torres for £55m and bought Erling Haaland for £51m. https://t.co/Pe1S70gt3A
Enjoying 75 minutes of soccer on the Schooling Metropolis Stadium, Torres couldn’t dispatch even a single shot, not to mention check Bounou. The previous Manchester Metropolis man didn’t play any key passes, failed to tug off three of 4 dribbles, and misplaced all 4 of his tried crosses. Moreover, he misplaced eight of 10 floor duels, misplaced possession a staggering 18 occasions, and was caught offside twice.
