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Spain took on Morocco on the final matchday of the Round of 16 games of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. After a grueling 120 minutes of goalless football, it was ultimately Morocco who sealed victory in the penalty shootout.
Both teams had a decent start to the game, getting some goalscoring opportunities early on. Amidst some excellent goalkeeping and poor finishing, the score remained tied at 0-0 until the end of regulation time.
This was followed by 30 minutes of extra time, where both teams got excellent chances once again but failed to score. Morocco, however, were clearly the better side in the penalty shootout as they scored three out of their four penalties to seal the shootout with a 3-0 victory. Spain missed all three of their penalty attempts, with two being saved by custodian Yassine Bounou and one hitting the woodwork.
Let's take a look at the hits and flops from the 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 game:
Hit #1 - Hakim Ziyech
Hakim Ziyech was one of the best players from the encounter between Morocco and Spain at the Education City Stadium.
The Chelsea man lined up on the right wing as usual and proceeded to wreak havoc with his pace and dribbling ability. He was a nuisance to Spain's defense throughout the game and even created several goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.
Ziyech bravely stepped up to take his country's second penalty in the shootout and made no mistake from the spot, expertly beating Spain's Unai Simon. He will be one of their most important players as they prepare to face the winner of the game between Portugal and Switzerland later today.
Hit #2 - Sofiane Boufal
Sofiane Boufal put in one of the best performances of his career against Spain in the Round of 16 clash today.
The former Southampton man was deployed in his preferred position on the right side of the field and found himself face-to-face with Spain's Marcos Llorente. He stepped up to the occasion with aplomb, creating several chances and dribbling past the right-back with ease.
Boufal has had an excellent tournament so far and has clearly carried his form into today's game. Llorente was unable to stop him and was evidently well out of his depth against Boufal on the night.
Hit #3 - Sofyan Amrabat
Sofyan Amrabat has been one of the best midfielders in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Fiorentina man has been in impeccable touch ever since the start of the tournament. Morocco remain unbeaten in the competition after four games, with Amrabat certainly one of the key factors behind their accomplishment.
Amrabat played in the center of the park and dictated play when Morocco had the ball. When out of possession, he led the press with great intensity and ensured Spain could not do much with the ball.
Amrabat put in yet another impressive performance on the night against an exciting midfield trio of Gavi, Pedri and Sergio Busquets. Doubtless a night to remember for the midfielder.
Flop #1 - Carlos Soler
Carlos Soler was one of the most disappointing players from the match at the Education City Stadium.
Soler was brought on just after the hour mark to replace Gavi and had big shoes to fill. He was unable to contribute much during regulation time, barely making a few passes here and there.
Soler went on to play until the end of the game, but did not add much value to Spain's display. In a performance that saw the side make over 1000 passes while keeping 79% possession, they were able to get just a single shot on target.
To make matters worse, Enrique opted to keep Soler on the pitch for the penalties, but Soler was unable to convert his shot. His penalty was Spain's second and Soler failed to score from the spot.
Flop #2 - Alvaro Morata
Alvaro Morata came into the game with three goals to his name from the opening three matches of the World Cup.
Luis Enrique opted to bench Morata for the game, starting with Marco Asensio instead. Morata finally got his chance to make an impact in the 63rd minute as he came off the bench to take on his preferred role as central striker.
Morata had a couple of golden opportunities to seal the tie, but was wasteful with his finishing. He also failed to keep himself onside on a couple of occasions, a feat that is considered rare for a striker of his caliber.
Despite being in top form, Morata was unable to get a single shot on target in over 60 minutes on the field. Spain will certainly rue their missed chances as they exit the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
