Atlas Lions Of Morocco Knock-Out Spain And Remain The Only African Team In The Quarter-Finals Of The 2022 World Cup.

Morocco have beaten Spain on via penalty kicks and will play either Portugal or Switzerland for a place in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The World Cup of shocks continues, as Enrique's side who won 7-0 winners in their first game against Costa Rica crashes out of the tournament.

Morocco won Group F, beat world number two Belgium, got into the last-16 for first time since 1986.

Following an intensive 120 minutes of football at the Education City Stadium on Tuesday evening, both team couldn't be separate as it ended 0-0.

Spain had the most number of chances to open scoring but Morocco remained alert in defense to force the game into penalties. 

A penalty shoot-out was needed for a winner to emerge and Achraf Hakimi born in Madrid, scored the decisive penalty as he sends Unai Simon the wrong way to send Morocco into the last eight of a World Cup for the first time.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou had made 3 saves from the Spanish side (Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler, and Sergio Busquets) to  earn his team a 3-0 win.

Morocco are the first African country in history to keep 3 clean sheets during a World Cup. The only goal they have conceded in Qatar has been an own goal from Nayef Aguerd. 

While Abdelhamid Sabiri, Hakim Ziyech, Achraf Hakimi brilliantly converted their penalties. Badr Benoun's was the only player to miss for Morocco.

The Atlas Lions of Morocco becomes the first African team to win a penalty shootout in the World Cup, and the fourth African country to qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Cup after Cameroon in (1990), Senegal in (2002) and, Ghana in (2010).

Morocco coach Walid Regragui only took over on 31 August after winning the African Champions League in May with Wydad.