Spain are out of the World Cup, as they fell to a national team clearly lower. However, Morocco managed to impose their playing style in the entire game. Spain are now back to reality.
Endless ball possession from Spain and direct playing by Morocco. That was the script for 120 eternal minutes. Only two shots on target from Spain in the entire game. This data sums up what the game was about.
The utopia that Spain could win the World Cup is now over. In fact we could have, but it is clear that after this game the new Spanish generation is not ready yet to play such high pressure games such are the World Cup’s ones.
The majority of the players are still very young and so they need to learn on defeats before lifting titles, which I am certain they will do, because they are very talented. Curiously, the youngest, Gavi, was the best player for Spain against Morocco. Curiously, he was substituted in the 60th minute.
But the biggest drama came in the penalties, where Spain were unable to score a single shot. Three very poorly taken penalties that keeper Yassine Bounou saved, which prevented the Spanish crowd to even celebrate a single goal from the penalty spot.
Sarabia, who went in just to shoot a penalty, and who paradoxically was the one to have the best scoring chance in the last minute, hit the post from the penalty spot. Carlos Soler, shot too slowly. And Busquets did it even worst, as he actually sent a pass to the keeper as if he was in a practice.
However, Morocco had a very different approach towards the penalties, as they had already won. Reaching the penalties against Spain was already a success, which is why they approached it without pressure and with nothing to loose. In fact, Spain were the only ones that had most to loose, and so they did.
Now it is time for some self-criticism and analyze how Spain can improve. Regarding to Luis Enrique, it is clear that now the press are waiting for him to blame him on everything. However, I honestly believe that if Spain have a team to compete in the future and in the upcoming tournaments is thanks to him.
He is a magnificent coach and that has been clearly proven, even though several people try to discredit him constantly. But the reality is that Spain have now been knocked out from the World Cup (just like in Russia) and I do not know if it can be considered a failure, but it is clear that it is a great disappointment for the entire nation, not only because of the defeat, but instead for the way it has been.
Translated by Guillermo Bermejo.
Main image: @SEFutbol.
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