Spain 2-2 Morocco
There was high drama in Kaliningrad tonight as Iago Aspas grabbed a late equaliser to deny Morocco a first win in World Cup 2018, and send Spain through to the last 16 as group winners.
Herve Renard’s team has been a joy to watch and no-one, other than Spain of course, would have begrudged them a victory after a superb display.
Fernando Hierro has certainly steadied the Spanish ship after the managerial shenanigans which rocked their preparations, following a dominant display against Portugal with a hard fought win against Iran. World Cup 2018 betting fans have backed Spain with confidence but they had the jitters tonight.
Morocco has been desperately unlucky to go out of the World Cup 2018 before even getting to the final group game. Two one-nil defeats, the first in a match they dominated against Iran, and the second in a narrow defeat to Portugal where only the great Cristiano Ronaldo made the difference. Renard can feel mightily proud of his team, but what he would have done for a win.
Highlights
In an exhibition opening ten minutes Spain passed the ball around with ease and it only seemed a matter of time before the first goal came.
It wasn’t long, but it was a surprise! Because despite their riches of talent and early dominance Hierro’s team were one down on 14 minutes. And it was a goal of their own making. The usually excellent Andres Iniesta shaped to pass back to Sergio Ramos, but missed him and Khalid Boutaib sneaked in to nick the ball some 50 yards out. If there was a man the Moroccans wanted to have that chance it was Boutaib after his goals took them to Russia, and he ran the distance before sliding the ball under the advancing David De Gea.
Spain looked edgy for the first time, but their nerves were settled just five minutes later and it was a brilliant equaliser. Iniesta made amends by playing a smart one-two before crossing for Isco to smash the ball high into the net. Normal service resumed…for a while!
Diego Costa has really looked the part here in Russia, he was always going to dominate World Cup news one way or another but he’s been doing in the right way, scoring crucial goals in the first two games. But he was quiet tonight, and his touch deserted him late in the first half conceding a goal-kick when he had a chance to put a dangerous ball in.
Morocco were delighted to go in to half time level at 1-1, but Renard must have given them one heck of a team-talk because, rather than hanging on to what they had, they came out looking for another. And they were unlucky not to get a free-kick in a dangerous position when Gerard Pique looked to have handled right on the edge of the box.
Then Mbark Boussoufa almost latched on to a through ball until David De Gea beat him to it to make a desperate clearance. Then on 55 minutes Nordin Amrabat was so unlucky not to score, The Watford man curled a wonderful shot from all of 30 yards which left De Gea clutching at air but the ball crashed off the crossbar, onto the ground and then away to safety.
As the match wore on, much as expected, Spain began to dominate again, Isco had an effort cleared off the line and Pique glanced a header off the outside of the post.
But Morocco held firm and, on 81 minute’s quite unbelievably, the underdogs went ahead again. Two substitutes combined as Getafe’s Faycal Fajr crossed for Youssef En Nesyri and the big centre forward rose well to head home, and send the Morocco fans completely wild.
But Moroccan hearts were broken on 91 minutes when Iago Aspas cleverly flicked the ball into the net from a Carvajal cross. But it wasn’t as straight forward as all that as VAR was reviewed before the goal was given.
That was yet another superb game at World Cup 2018. They just keep on coming.
Key statistics
Spain is now unbeaten in 23 games, but it’s the first time they have failed to beat Morocco, winning the two previous meetings.
Morocco deserved their point and so avoided matching their disappointment of 1994 when they lost all three group games; that would have been cruel and unfair.
What’s next?
Today’s World Cup 2018 results have begun to set the scene for the Round of 16; and I would say Aspas’ late goal will be very welcome in Spain. As Group B winners they face the second placed team in Group A and that’s Russia, whereas Portugal plays Uruguay.
I know which I’d prefer.
There’s no doubt there are some fantastic matches to come, and you can join in all the excitement with SBOBET.
Can you remember a dull game in this World Cup? No.. me neither!
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