Morocco had to be the one in the end. Following two tense, captivating, depleting hours and seven anguishing minutes lived every day to the fullest, the second came, Achraf Hakimi remaining on the spot, the world watching.
He was born in Madrid and was one of 17 footballers who were born outside of Morocco who contribute to this fantastic team, which was formed from home and the diaspora.
What kind of pressure?
Hakimi dinked gently into the net after barely breaking into a run and almost walking up.
The ball’s flight was tranquil as well, but bedlam soon took control. He smiled as he did a little dance of shuffles.
Fans erupted in front of him. His teammates dashed behind him. Together, they headed for Yassine Bounou, the hero and goalkeeper who waited with open arms.
They then prostrated themselves and prayed.
The media gave a measure of how big this was.
The microphone was taken by a journalist. “I just wanted to say thanks,” he told Bounou and the coach Walid Regragui, who had been in charge for less than three months. “I don’t have a question.”
He broke down in tears and gave a lengthy, emotional speech that was met with applause at the end.
They had fought for it and delivered the first knockout upset, if that is what this was, and history had been made.
Spain has left; The last remaining African team has lost, and they are a good side.
At this World Cup, six and a half hours have passed without a single opponent defeating Bounou, who wears the moniker “Bono.”
“I wouldn’t make any changes; only their goalie,” Luis Enrique insisted later.
Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets made two saves for Bono, and the first one bounced back off a post.
Pablo Sarabia, who was now in tears, had taken it.
How should he not be?
Prior to his introduction with two minutes remaining, Sarabia had not participated in this tournament, specifically to take the penalty.
His was the first, expected to set Spain on their way. He, on the other hand, hit the post for the second time in as many touches.
He was given an unexpected post-match assignment just before the final whistle.
Morocco won’t care, and they won’t think they deserved it.
It erupted in this location, which was very much theirs. A special occasion also included a fascinating game.
Education City, their home for the evening, was dominated by Morocco in this stadium, which was decorated in red and green.
The selección whistled each time they got the ball, indicating that from the beginning.
Morocco also required them
This was a truly monumental effort, and their intention was clear when Hakim Ziyech took down Jordi Alba after 18 seconds.
Regragui had stated, “You know what you’re going to get every time you see Spain’s shirt,” and this quickly became a pattern.
However, settled was not the right word. Certainly, Spain conveyed the heaviness of the game if a little gruffly, yet there was an edge, a mood, and in the event that there were at last no objectives that didn’t reduce it.
To say that they ran swiftly and direct when they robbed would be oversimplifying the situation.
This team performs admirably in tight spaces, negotiating corners before departing.
Hakimi weighed a lot. There was Sofyan Amrabat everywhere.