By Isaac Akugizibwe,
Morocco’s nerve fledgling victory over spain in the last 16 tie of the 2022 World cup in Qatar has sent the whole of Africa into a frenzy. The Atlas Lions needed the best of goal keeper Bounuo who saved all of spain’s spotkicks to give Morocco a 3-0 lead that sent them to the quarter finals for the first time ever.
Just when Africans were beginning to lose hope in their representatives in the 2022 World cup in Qatar having watched the continent’s best hope Senegal suffer humiliation at the hands of a clinical England on Sunday, Morocco stepped up with an impressive performance characterised by extraordinary attacking and defensive displays to stun 2010 champions,Spain.
Sevilla goal keeper Yassine Bounuo saved efforts from Carlos Soler and Sergio Burkett after scaring Pablo Sarabia to hit the post. His heroic display was enough to give PSG’s Achraf Hakimi enough confidence to score a decisive penalty with a paneka.
Hakimi’s goal sparked jubilant scenes in the stands in Qatar and in soccer halls and bars all over Africa including in Kampala, Uganda. This was accompanied by an emergency session of the people’s parliament on Social Media where several people expressed their excitement and support for Morocco.
The North Africans were determined in all aspects and avoided conceeding a goal in a match where Spain had over 1,000 passes. Both teams posed some threats on the break and the Spaniards almost won it in the 123rd minute, but Pablo Sarabia’s volley agonisingly flicked the outside of the far post.
This was ill be the first time that Morocco is playing in the quarter finals of the FIFA world cup. The only previous appearance in the last 16 came in 1986, and they have now extended their unbeaten run in the World Cup to five games and kept a clean sheet in six out of their last seven in all competitions.
They will now play cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at the Quarter finals and will look to keep up with their imperious run by killing another giant. Portugal beat Switzerland 6-1 to progress to the quarter finals in an imposing fashion,one that should have the tournament’s best defensive side Morocco worried.
Though this will be another uphill task for the Moroccans ,they have displayed potential that they can stop any one having already beaten two of the World’s finest. They carry all of Africa’s hope in Qatar.
