I will stand with my players to death: Spain coach Enrique
Spain controlled over 75 per cent of the ball in the game, but failed to get a shot on target from open play in 120 minutes
Gilbert Silva, who was a member of Brazil’s FIFA World Cup-winning squad in 2002, admitted it was an uncommon sight to see Spain miss three penalties in their shock Round of 16 loss to Morocco of the ongoing tournament at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan on Tuesday.
In the Round of 16 match, the match between Spain and Morocco went into penalty shootout after the sides were 0-0 after 90 minutes and extra time.
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Spanish-born Morocco player Achraf Hakimi scored the decisive spot-kick after Spain surprisingly squandered all three of their attempts, setting up Morocco’s quarter-final clash against Portugal on December 10.
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“It is frustrating, for everybody. They missed three penalties; it is not very common. Well done to Morocco, they did a good job. The game came to this point because Morocco did a good job. They created good chances, they did not give so many chances to Spain at the back because they were very solid,” said Silva on VISA Match Centre show on Sports18.
Before the match, Spain coach Luis Enrique had quipped on how the players were asked to practice 1000 penalties as practice for penalty shootout situation in the World Cup. But when it came to the actual occasion, Sergio Busquets, Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Soler missed their targets.
Spain have also become the first nation in FIFA World Cup history to lose four penalty shootouts. Sol Campbell, the former England footballer, felt Spain withered under pressure and Morocco delivered when it mattered the most.
“I kind of felt it that Morocco is going to do it. The pressure definitely got to the Spanish team for sure. They (Morocco) defended incredibly well.”
“Even though Spain had a lot of the ball but had it in their own back and the middle, not much penetrating, a couple of times they did. But overall, Morocco, what a performance.”
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