The final two places in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals are at stake on Tuesday.
The penultimate clash in the Round of 16 sees Morocco take on Spain at Education City Stadium, with kick-off at 18H00 local time (15H00 GMT).
These two countries are separated by a mere 13 kilometres, representing the shortest distance between their respective continents. Being the northernmost point in Africa and the southernmost of Europe, Morocco and Spain are essentially neighbours and there is a lot riding on this match-up back home.
Despite such a short distance separating the two nations, the Moroccan and Spanish national teams have met just three times before. Their sole clash this century came at the 2018 World Cup where they contested a 2-2 draw in the group stage.
Their previous two meetings came some 67 years earlier, in a two-legged qualifier for the 1962 World Cup, as Spain won 4-2 on aggregate.
At this tournament, Spain netted nine goals in the group stage – the joint-highest – though they scored just once in each of their last two games. The Spanish have dominated the ball, as per usual, and in their clashes with both Costa Rica and Japan, La Roja had north of 1,000 passes and 80 per cent possession.
The Moroccans, meanwhile, are among the best in regaining possession and they rank second in tackles and third in interceptions at this World Cup.
The Atlas Lions defied the odds to top Group F, taking seven points from nine and conceding just a single goal in 270 minutes. Morocco is the first African nation to top a World Cup group this century.
6 games. 6 clean sheets.
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) November 27, 2022
Since becoming head coach, Walid Regragui’s Morocco have not conceded a goal in 540 minutes of football.#MAR | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/uEVqdgvkvK
Having won two of their 16 matches at the tournament prior to Qatar 2022, the North Africans doubled that tally with victories over Belgium and Canada. With this their sixth showing at the World Cup finals, Morocco advanced to the knockouts for the first time since 1986. No African team has made it to the quarter-finals since Ghana in 2010.
Several of Morocco’s players have Spanish ties. Star full-back Achraf Hakimi was born in Madrid, to Moroccan parents, and joined the Real Madrid academy aged seven.
Striker Youssef En-Nesyri and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou are signed to LaLiga club Sevilla. En-Nesyri was on the scoresheet when these nations met at the 2018 World Cup.
Since winning the tournament in 2010, Spain have yet to progress beyond the last-16. In 2014 they crashed out from the groups and four years ago they lost out to hosts Russia in the first knockout round. Only twice in the last six editions have the Spanish reached the quarter-finals or beyond.
Alvaro Morata has scored in each of Spain’s three group games and only Kylian Mbappé has more goals at Qatar 2022.
Spain are 1.50 favourites to conquer their neighbours and book a spot in the quarter-finals; Morocco are priced 7.00 to eliminate the 2010 World Cup champions; 4.25 for a draw (result to be decided in extra-time or penalties).
(Bet365)
