Spain stumbled into the last 16 of the World Cup after an Iago Aspas strike in stoppage time gave them a 2-2 draw with Morocco in a thrilling game.
Fernando Hierro’s side have a tie against Russia by winning the group on goal difference after Portugal drew 1-1 with Iran.
In a spicy first-half which saw four Moroccan players booked, Gerard Pique was lucky to escape a red card for a two-footed lunge on Khalid Boutaib.
And it was Boutaib who gave the North Africans the lead after pouncing on a mistake by Sergio Ramos and Andres Iniesta to run through on goal and score.
The lead lasted just five minutes though as Iniesta, who bossed the midfield, teed up Isco to hammer the ball in from close range.
Morocco, who could not qualify for the next round, continued to show plenty of fighting spirit in the second half with the impressive Nordin Amrabat rattling the crossbar with a long-range effort while Roman Saiss cleared Isco’s header off the line. And they nullified the threat of Diego Costa who barely had a kick.
The Atlas Lions thought they had won the game through substitute Youssef En Nesyri's bullet header from a corner nine minutes from time.
But the 2010 world champions snatched an undeserved draw in stoppage time courtesy of a deft flick from substitute Aspas with VAR overruling the initial decision to disallow the goal for offside.
Spain and Morocco's players greet each other at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Spain and Morocco at the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad on June 25, 2018.
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT
Should Gerard Pique have been sent off?
The Barcelona defender was sold short by a pass from Danny Carvajal but went in two-footed on Boutaib who was left in agony. Amazingly he was not even booked and the referee did not ask VAR to review the challenge. The defender was also lucky to escape a card for a clear handball on the edge of the box in the second half.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Nordin Amrabat (Morocco): The Watford man was impressive against Portugal and reached the same heights against Spain with his energy and creativity. He was desperately unlucky not to score with a long-range strike which hit the crossbar.
Morocco's forward Noureddine Amrabat gestures during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Spain and Morocco at the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad on June 25, 2018.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
SPAIN: De Gea 6, Carvajal 5, Pique 4, Ramos 5, Alba 6, Busquets 6, Thiago 5, Silva 5, Iniesta 8, Isco 8, Costa 4. Subs: Aspas n/a, Asensio n/a, Rodrigo n/a
MOROCCO: El Kajoui 5, Hakimi 7, Da Costa 7, Saiss 7, Ziyach 7, El Ahmadi 6, Belhanda 6, Boutaib 8, Boussoufa 7, Amrabat 8, Dirar 6. Subs: Fajr 6, En Nesyri 7, Bouhaddouz n/a.
KEY MOMENTS:
8’ – PIQUE LUCKY TO ESCAPE RED: A two-footed lunge from the Barcelona defender has left Boutaib on the floor in agony. He made contact with the ball first but it was reckless.
14’ - GOAL FOR MOROCCO! Boutaib nicks the ball after a mix up between Ramos and Iniesta and is through on goal, he calmly slots the ball under De Gea.
19’ - GOAL FOR SPAIN! Iniesta cuts the ball back to Isco to hammer the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
25’- DE GEA SAVE! Boutaib is through on goal again after Ramos and Pique go to sleep from a quick throw-in, but this time the keeper is there to block it. He should have found the net from there.
Spain's goalkeeper David De Gea saves a goal attempt by Morocco's forward Khalid Boutaib (C) beside Spain's defender Sergio Ramos during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Spain and Morocco at the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad o
Image credit: Getty Images
55’ - WOODWORK! Amrabat unleashes a stunning effort from distance which rattles the bar and does not cross the line, De Gea was rooted to the spot.
62’ -OFF THE LINE: Isco's looping header into the corner is headed clear by Saiss. Hierro thought that was in!
80’ -CHANCE! Ziyach's shot is blocked by Pique's hand which was down by his side. He wants a penalty but that would have been harsh.
81’ -GOAL FOR MOROCCO! From the resulting corner, En Nesyri's bullet header flies into the net!
90’+1 - GOAL FOR SPAIN! Spain take a short corner, its played in and Aspas flicks it into the net. The flag is raised but VAR will have a look and rules it is a goal.
KEY STATS
- Spain have not lost in their last 23 internationals.
- The Spanish fail to win their final group game for the first time since 1982.
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