It is difficult to explain the decline of Spain. From that initial 7-0 victory against Costa Rica to this reality outside the World Cup eliminated by Morocco via penalties, to this point and outside Japan, the only great revelation left in Qatar 2022.

Until now everything was going along the normal lines with the classification of France, England, Argentina and Brazil.

Portugal had reached the World Cup by way of playoffs that left out Italy, the great absentee from Qatar.

Historical: Morocco defeated Spain and reached the quarterfinals.

The African team gave the bump and left the favorite to take the key on the way. It was 3-0 in the definition from 12 steps, which had goalkeeper Yassine Bounou as the undisputed protagonist.

Under a hellish environment proposed by their followers, Morocco made history this Tuesday with its first qualification to the quarterfinals in a World Cup, after eliminating Spain on penalties (3-0) in the round of 16 in Qatar 2022.

The winger Archaf Hakimi, Lionel Messi's teammate in Paris Saint-Germain, unleashed the delirium of more than 15,000 Moroccans inflamed with a punctured definition, a tribute to the Uruguayan Sebastián Abreu in the quarterfinals of South Africa 2010.

Spain, champion of that edition, missed all three of its executions in the Education City stadium: Pablo Sarabia crashed his shot off the post; while Bono -Sevilla goalkeeper- covered the shipments of Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets.

The match was refereed by Argentine Fernando Rapallini, who completed his third match in the competition with just two yellow cards, one per team.

Morocco, one of the four undefeated in Qatar, achieved an unprecedented entry into the soccer elite, something it had not been able to achieve in its five previous World Cup appearances. Only once (Mexico '86) had it reached the round of 16 and in the others it did not go beyond the initial phase (1970, 1994, 1998 and 2018).

In the celebrations for the qualification, their players showed a Palestinian flag in front of the fans, who will meet their next rival today after the Portugal-Switzerland crossing. That quarterfinal match will be played next Saturday at 12:00 in Al Thumama.

Throughout the game, the Spaniards had to deal with the good planning of Walid Regragui and the heated climate proposed by the Moroccan fans with a clear majority in the Education City stands.

The tendency of the ball, a characteristic feature of Luis Enrique's team, was accompanied by a persistent whistle that turned into an outburst every time an African footballer managed to interrupt the game circuit.

Morocco intelligently made communication between the Spanish players difficult with a compact tactical disposition and an individual attitude at the height of the historic instance reached in Qatar 2022.

With their 10 field players on three stripes of the pitch, more or less advanced, but always together, they neutralized the pass between the lines of Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Pedri and did not suffer in Bono's goal, saved when the Sevilla player took a risk with feet and facilitated a dangerous recovery by Spain then annulled off side by Ferrán.

On the right wing, Morocco placed its most senior players, Achraf Hakimi and Hakim Ziyech, but Sofiane Boufal caused the imbalance on the opposite side.

With a pure feint, the Angers player created the spaces to complicate Marcos Llorente and created the best chance of the first half with a cross-qualification that Aguerd headed wide from an excellent position in the area.

Luis Enrique rotated the positions of Gavi and Pedri in the middle of the field; he fixed Ferrán and Dani Olmo on the wings to open the bolt but the organization of the North African team remained intact.

Waiting for individual inspiration, Spain showed a tendency to lateralize due to lack of space. Rodri, one of his central markers, was the one who passed the ball the most times in the match.

The tenacity of the Moroccan marking did not change even in the slightest, which generated the reaction of the Spanish press and public against Rapallini, designated as permissive.

The arrivals of Morata and Williams renewed Spain's attack and precipitated some chances of risk in the rival area, also due to the fatigue of the African team in the last quarter of an hour.

Regragui made four changes between 37 and 39 minutes into the second half to have a fresh formation in extra time. Williams confirmed his good entry with dangerous overflows through the right sector that gave hope.

Morocco, propped up by the skill of its central midfielder Amrabat, answered with two arrivals from Cheddira, one of them conjured up by Simón with his feet. In a climate of tension and drama, the game was for whoever hit an attack and it could have been Spain's on the last play with an appearance by Sarabia, whose shot washed off Bono's right post.

Finally the coin fell in favor of the Moroccans due to the greatness of their goalkeeper Bono and the lack of aim of the Spanish.

Portugal qualified for the quarterfinals after defeating Switzerland.

The Portugal team beat Switzerland 6-1 on Tuesday and got their place in the quarterfinals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup thanks to Gonçalo Ramos's hat-trick, as well as goals from Pepe, Guerreiro and Rafael Leão.

At the Lusail stadium the match began with Cristiano Ronaldo as a substitute after the decision of the strategist Fernando Santos. However, the change was very positive because his replacement was Gonçalo Ramos and he became the figure of the match.

At minute 17, a move was made on the left with the Portuguese, Guerreiro escaped through that sector, gave up a pass to João Félix and defined Gonçalo Ramos with great quality against goalkeeper Sommer.

However, at minute 33 the experienced defender Pepe, after a corner kick, outwitted his marker and headed in the second goal of the match. With the passing of the minutes, Switzerland held on and managed to go to the locker room without getting more goals.

In the second half, Switzerland modified their defense and went in search of the discount goal, although that was not enough because at minute 51, after a move from the right, winger Dalot sent a precise cross so that Ramos placed the 3 - 0.

The fourth goal of the match was not long in coming and at minute 55, after a deadly counterattack, Ramos gave an assist to Guerreiro and he took a cross shot, decreeing a win. Switzerland tried to wake up and found the discount in minute 58 through Manuel Akanji who pushed the ball before a defensive error by those led by Fernando Santos.

The goal party did not end and at minute 67 Félix turned to attack and saw Ramos free who chipped the ball and defined before the astonished look of goalkeeper Sommer, who for the fifth time saw the ball pass towards his goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo came on at minute 77 and looked for the sixth goal of the game that came for Rafael Leão, who made it 6-1 for Portugal, managing to advance in the round of 16 series.

Now Portugal will face Morocco in the quarterfinals on December 10 at the Al Thumama stadium.

Source: FIFA.