Against a Spain that excels in passing and control, Morocco defended strongly and didn't concede a goal for the regular 90 minutes, forcing Spain into extra time and ultimately into a penalty shootout. Surprisingly, Spain did not enter the first three penalties and watched Morocco make history.
This is the first time in history that Morocco has broken into the top 8 of the World Cup, the best result for an African team at the World Cup, and the fourth African team in history to finish in the top 8 of the World Cup. Statistically, Morocco started its first World Cup in 1970 and has now waited 52 years for a breakthrough. It is also the only non-European and South American team in the World Cup's top eight, making it the top dark horse.
With Spain out of the picture, the third World Cup winning teams are Germany and Uruguay.
Portugal and Switzerland met in the next eight-legged final with a lot of suspense, but the European team locked up their place in the tournament early.
