Three things to keep an eye on as Spain take on Morocco
A look back at how The Atlas Lions qualified for the Round of 16.
Possibly the only local, intercontinental derby in world football, with just 13 kilometres separating Southern Spain from Northern Morocco across the narrowest point of the Strait of Gibraltar, the tenth Afro-European clash of the 2022 World Cup looks as if it could have a little extra spice.
Having progressed to the knockout stages for just the second time in their history, The Atlas Lions stole the show in Group F, beating a talent-stacked Belgian side, while conceding just one goal in 293 minutes of football, a deflected Canadian cross.
Following on from our in-depth preview podcast on the game, here are three things for Luis Enrique’s men to watch out for as North Africa’s high-flyers look to make the quarter finals for the first time.
A fearless 4-3-3
Despite averaging just 37% possession so far in this World Cup - the fourth-lowest of any side in this winter’s competition - Regragui likes his full-backs to push on, trusting their athleticism and defensive tenacity to cover every blade of grass on their respective flanks.
On the right, Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi has completed the most tackles and interceptions in the tournament, while Bayern Munich’s Noussair Mazraoui has only seven fewer on the opposite side.
On the ball, both wide players look to create those important triangles out wide, aiming to progress the ball up the pitch. Particularly on the right, where Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech likes to invert and drift inside onto his left foot, Hakimi is given extra responsibility to career forward on those trademark overlapping runs. Indeed, the flying full-back has received a squad-high 107 progressive passes, showing his importance in moving Morocco up the pitch.
Having provided an assist already, and firing in five shots between them, expect to see bustling, energetic wide players working tirelessly to put their Spanish counterparts under pressure.
A balanced midfield
While the Spanish trio of Pedri, Gavi and Busquets have won most of the midfield plaudits in Qatar, Morocco’s three-man combinations in the centre of the park have been just as essential in anchoring Regragui’s men into a solid, defensive shape.
Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat, in particular, has been one of the standout players at the World Cup, combining brute strength and composure on the ball to protect the centre of the park.
With six tackles, five interceptions and 24 ball recoveries - the most in this Moroccan side - the midfield enforcer has also maintained the highest passing accuracy in the squad, having completed almost as many as his three midfield partners combined.
Alongside him, as box-to-box midfielders Selim Amallah and Abdelhamid Sabiri interchange, 22-year-old Azzedine Ounahi has dazzled on the ball, always looking to move forward while he slaloms in and out of challenges. The three should provide a stern challenge for Pedri, Gavi and co.
Skilful dribblers
Relative to their time on the ball, no side are completing more dribbles per spell of possession than Morocco, with Hakim Ziyech (5.71) and Sofiane Boufal (4.55) leading the way in the side for dribbles attempted per 90 minutes.
Again, particularly down that right-hand side, Regragui’s men often look to advance the ball up to Ziyech, while his teammates look to drag defenders away with over and underlapping runs.
Even on the bench, while a disastrous cameo appearance against Croatia didn’t show the youngster at his best, on-loan Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli is a prodigious ball-carrier, attempting over six dribbles per game with Osasuna, while Toulouse wide man Zakaria Aboukhlal has already shown his attacking credentials with a precise finish against Belgium.
All in all then, a side who don’t mind ceding possession, but can build confidently, efficiently and quickly when they regain the ball, it’s not going to be completely straightforward for Luis Enrique’s men to reach their first World Cup quarter-final since 2010.
Let’s hope, at the very least, that Lucho has learned his lesson from Japan.