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Somehow, despite that late drama, Sid Lowe has already filed his match report! I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company, goodnight!
So, to summarise:
- Spain win the group and will play Russia in the last 16
- Portugal will meet Uruguay
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There will be plenty of talk about the preposterous, premature VAR, though I hope that doesn’t overshadow a wonderful match that was overflowing with human frailty and human spirit. Morocco were sensational.
Iran have drawn 1-1 with Portugal, who go through to face Uruguay. It sounds like there was an even bigger VAR shambles in that game.
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Full time: Spain 2-2 Morocco
Peep peep! That was a belting game, and it ends with Spain winning the group despite a huge scare.
90+7 min There were supposed to be four minutes of added time but the goal took 72 years to be given so we’ll be playing for a while yet.
90+5 min There are now suggestion that the corner should not have been given for another reason, because Rodrigo didn’t keep the ball in play before putting in the cross that was put behind. This is a mess.
90+4 min Iran have equalised against Portugal! That means Spain are now winning the group.
It’s all kicking off on the touchline, with players from both sides having a row. Play hasn’t yet restarted after the goal, which was originally scored in the year 1972.
It was the right decision in terms of the offside, though I’d like to see that tackle from Busquets again. It was a great finish from Aspas, who flicked the ball behind his standing foot and past Munir.
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GOAL! Spain 2-2 Morocco (Aspas 90+2)
The goal is given!
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It came from a short corner that was whipped in and flicked cleverly into the by Aspas. The flag went up but it’s being reviewed, and replays suggest Aspas was onside.
Morocco will be furious if the goal is given, because the corner came after Busquets got away with what looked like a foul near the halfway line.
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90+1 min Iago Aspas has a goal disallowed for offside - but I think this might be overturned by VAR.
89 min Morocco really should come to the World Cup more often. They were so much fun in 1986 and 1998, and they have added so much more to this tournament than a first-round elimination suggests.
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88 min Munir is booked for timewasting. Like he gives a solitary one about that!
87 min Iago Aspas does well to manufacture a cross that is headed wide on the run by Asensio. It wasn’t much of a chance.
86 min It’s worth repeating that Spain are safe unless Iran equaliser and Morocco score a third goal. But this would sting, and put them in the tougher half of the draw. Luis Suarez v Spain: that’ll be fun.
85 min Now Morocco make their final change, with the excellent Ziyach replaced by Aziz Bouhaddouz.
84 min Spain make their last change, with David Silva replaced by Rodrigo.
83 min The goal doesn’t change anything in terms of Spain’s qualification – it would need an Iran equaliser and another Morocco goal for that – but this would be a legendary victory for Morocco.
What a goal! Amrabat hit an outswinging corner from the right towards the penalty spot, where En-Nesyri towaered over Ramos to plant an unsaveable header into the top corner!
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GOAL! Spain 1-2 Morocco (En-Nesyri 81)
Morocco lead through an immense header from the substitute Youssef En-Nesyri!
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79 min “It is always good to see Aspas doing well,” says Ian Copestake. “At Liverpool he looked so nervous, and the shirt did not so much weigh him down as actually make him lose weight.”
Now that’s technology.
78 min Sergio Ramos slams a shot miles over the bar from distance.
78 min It’s still Iran 0-1 Portugal, so as things stand Spain will finish second in the group and play Uruguay in the last 16.
77 min A foul on Amrabat gives Morocco a breather. Though nothing comes of the free-kick, it’s the first time they’ve been out of their half in a while.
74 min A double change for Spain: Asensio and Aspas replace Diego Costa and Thiago. Both were poor.
72 min Another Morocco change: the goalscorer Boutaib is replaced by En Nesyri.
71 min Morocco are starting to look tired, which is no surprise given how much they have put into this game.
70 min The disappointing Thiago blooters a first-time shot miles wide from 20 yards.
69 min One goal would put Spain back on top of the group, and mean a last 16 game against Russia rather than Uruguay.
68 min “Deal, Matt,” says Simon McMahon of Matt Dony’s contingency plan should England win the World Cup. “And if it happens and Sir Harry Kane and his boys bring the bloody thing home, as well as the booze we can at least look forward to Scotland becoming unofficial world champions at Wembley next year ...”
67 min Isco and David Silva combine beautifully on the edge of the area, only for David Silva to miscontrol the ball at a key moment.
64 min Morocco make their first change, with Fajr replace Belhanda.
63 min From the resulting corner, Pique heads fractionally wide of the far post. That was another excellent chance.
62 min: Saiss makes a brilliant goalline clearance! Isco towered above Amrabat to head a right-wing cross towards the far post, and it was drifting into the net until Saiss stretched to head it just past the post.
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61 min Spain have had a couple of siestas within this match but they are starting to look more threatening again. For a game that doesn’t have much riding on it, this isa cracker.
59 min Thiago plays a neat one-two with David Silva, only to slash a speculative left-footed volley all the way across goal.
55 min: Amrabat hits the post with an unreal effort! He received possession 25 yards from goal, to the right of centre, and cut across a stunning rising drive with the outside of the foot. De Gea did not move as it arrowed towards the top corner, only to batter off the inside of the post and rebound to safety.
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53 min It’s still Iran 0-1 Portugal in the other game - but Cristiano Ronaldo has had a penalty saved.
52 min “Briefly thought Morocco might be on pace to set a record for yellow cards in a World Cup match, but they’re actually a little behind Portugal’s record, set in ‘06 against Holland in The Battle of Nuremberg,” says Darin Woolpert. “Morocco will have to pick up the pace a bit here in the second half. More dubious honors can be found here.”
I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun during an MBM as I did with that game.
51 min Portugal still lead the group as things stand. On that note, if you think it’s hard following the as-it-stands table at a World Cup, have a look at this.
50 min Spain have started the second half sloppily. A dangerous, driven pass into the area almost finds Boussoufa, with De Gea flying from his line to punch clear.
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48 min Pique gets away with another one, this time a deliberate handball on the edge of his own area. Morocco’s players implore the referee to give something, with precisely no success. Pique’s now on one Expected Yellow Card and one Expected Red.
47 min “I am alas only watching the Spain game in the hope that Ramos receives enough rough treatment to give myself closure from the violent fantasies I keep having of doing it myself,” says Ian Copestake. “I used to be a good person.”
And then you became an even better one, etc, etc.
46 min Peep peep! Morocco begin the second half of this association football contest.
I know I’ve got wallchartitis and am getting ahead of myself, but we could easily end up with Brazil, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium and Argentina all in one half of the draw.
Tiebreaker department
“I could obviously do a simple google search, but I am at work, with two windows open for streaming the games and one for the MBM and besides, I am lazy,” begins Rachel Clifton. “Does qualifying out of the group come down to yellow cards when you are level on points, or do they take the result of the game between the two tied teams into account first?”
I think it’s points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head, then disciplinary points. So if Spain win 2-1 and Portugal win 1-0, Spain will win the group on goals scored.
Though Spain look certain to qualify now, they will still be keen to win this group because, as things stand, it would open up a much easier route to the final.
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“Ahoy McMahon!” says Matt Dony. “I don’t want to get sidetracked from the Spain v Morocco action, but I think we need to make a Celtic deal. I don’t know about you, but I’m enjoying the free-scoring England progress. BUT should they go and win the whole damn thing (which doesn’t seem outside the realms of possibility), the fans are going to be in-flipping-sufferable. In that event, we need to meet up, and drink a lot. I’ll bring the Penderyn, you bring the Buckfast.”
We had a plan for this in the Guardian office in 2006. If they got to the final, we were all going to go round and round and round on the Circle Line, with only a 12-pack each for company, hoping that after about two hours we would see a slow, weary procession of the glum and the heartbroken.
As things stand, it’ll be Spain v Uruguay and Portugal v Russia in the second round.
Half-time reading
Half time: Spain 1-1 Morocco
Peep peep! Spain have had a fright, but they are on course for the second round.
45+2 min More majestic play from Iniesta, who scoots past two players on the left side of the box before sliding a beautiful ball right across the face of goal. The stretching Costa got a stud on the ball but that wasn’t enough to divert it into the net.
45 min Two minuters of added time. Portugal lead Iran 1-0, which means they are on top of the group as things stand.
43 min Morocco enjoy a much needed 90 seconds in the Spain half before Ziyach, found by a terrific pass from the left wing, swishes a shot over the bar from 25 yards.
42 min Thiago, starting his first game of the tournament, has been quiet. Costa has been scruffy, though he played a part in the equaliser. Iniesta and Isco have been excellent.
39 min Morocco can’t get out of their half, and a second Spain goal looks increasingly inevitable. It’s been a strange half, in that Spain have been very dominant but should probably be a goal and a man down.
38 min Boutaib is lucky not to be booked for a hack at Isco, whose shinpads are getting a good product testing.
37 min Busquets misses a great chance, heading Isco’s inswinging corner over the bar from eight yards. He was totally unmarked and should have scored like John Stones.
36 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Morocco’s first World Cup goal since 1998? Their last would have been against Scotland then, when they pumped us 3-0 in the final group game, but in tribute to the Scots they still failed to qualify for the knockout phase after Norway beat Brazil in the other game. Happy days.”
35 min David Silva’s dangerous cross flashes across goal before being booted clear by Hakimi. For the first time in the match, Morocco are hanging on.
34 min Morocco are really struggling to cope with the triple left-sided threat of Jordi Alba, Isco and Iniesta.
32 min Boussoufa is booked for dissent, the fourth Moroccan to receive a yellow card in this game.
31 min Da Costa is booked for a nasty lunge at Isco.
29 min Spain have been excellent going forward, and hideous in defence. Amrabat, meanwhile, is booked for a challenge on Ramos.
26 min This is a terrific game. Iniesta is playing beautifully. After another good Spain move, Alba cuts the ball back to Costa, who makes a dog’s breakfast of a left-footed shot from 15 yards.
25 min Another great chance for Boutaib! Morocco had a throw-in near the halfway line, from which you can’t be offside, and it was flung over the sleeping Pique and Ramos to put Boutaib straight through on goal. He lumbered into the area but waited a bit too long to shoot, and that allowed De Gea to spread himself and block the shot.
23 min An inswinging corner form the left is met by Pique, whose downward header under pressure is comfortably saved by Munir.
22 min “Question - does it not matter that Pique’s challenge was all ball?” says Flo. “I’m not pro-Spain or anything, but it seemed a fair challenge. But I defer to your expertise.”
No, that’s irrelevant these days. You don’t even need to make contact with a player to be sent off if it’s a dangerous challenge.
21 min El Ahmadi is booked for a foul on Busquets.
It was a lovely team move, a textbook example of progressive tiki-taka. Iniesta to Isco to Costa, who quickened things up with an excellent first-time pass to Iniesta on the left of the box. He surged past a defender to the byline and slipped it back to Isco, who took a touch and rammed the ball over Munir from close range.
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GOAL! Spain 1-1 Morocco (Isco 19)
That didn’t take long. Spain equalise with a gorgeous goal!
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17 min Iniesta slashes a 25-yard shot well wide. Spain are rattled, and Morocco – for the time being at least - have their swagger on.
16 min Spain are a goal down and should be a man down – but as things stand they are still going through.
15 min “The kick-off times in 2002 were magnificent,” says Matt Dony. “I was self-employed, and living at home, which afforded me a certain amount of flexibility. I remember the group stage with a wistful smile. First game at 7am, out to do a couple of hours work with 5Live commentary for the 9am match, then an early lunch (at a pub where possible) for the 11am game. Simpler times. After spending most of the 90’s obsessing over metal and grunge and pretty much nothing else, I fell back in love with football around the turn of the millennium, and Japan/South Korea came at just the right time.”
Khalid Boutaib scores Morocco’s first World Cup goal since 1998. Ramos and Iniesta left the ball to each other on the halfway line, a bizarre bit of play that allowed Boutaib to march straight through on goal. He charged into the area, kept his cool and slid the ball between De Gea’s legs.
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GOAL! Spain 0-1 Morocco (Boutaib 14)
Morocco have taken the lead!
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13 min Spain would be in a lot of trouble had they gone down to 10 men. As it is they are having the better of the game, though they are not controlling it as we might have expected. Morocco look really up for this.
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11 min “Goodness gracious guys!” says Ben. “It’s coming home, England loses here, it’s not coming home, it’s coming coming to the right street but doesn’t make it past the gate... Everybody (commenting) is so busy predicting and mapping out possibilities, I feel like few people are just enjoying England’s adventure. Some sound like they’re more concerned than anything else. It’s the World Cup. England has a great team. Let’s enjoy the hell out of this ride, step by step. Be happy. Smile. Yay football! (And hopefully Rashford starts).”
And in one email, Ben perfectlyt summed up the questionable gift of being English.
10 min In 1990, Pique’s challenge would barely have merited a second look, but by the modern interpretation of the laws he should probably have been sent off – both feet were off the ground, with studs showing, as he challenge Boutaib.
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9 min The referee doesn’t even look at the monitor, so that’s another triumph for VAR.
8 min Pique goes in two-footed on Boutaib, a weird and reckless challenge even though he won the ball. He should be sent off for that but it looks like nothing is going to happen.
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7 min All of a sudden it’s getting a bit lively. Amrabat fouls both Isco and then Ramos, who swings round to have a word. El Ahmadi gets involved as well, but it’s all hold-me-back posturing and play resumes soon enough.
6 min “That Spain line up lacks both pace and goals,” says Gene Salorio. “Thiago is better on the ball than Koke but less dynamic. Silva and Iniesta are wonderful ball players and passers but Carsten Jancker-like when it comes to scoring. Speaking of which, Isco is hot foreplay in the car followed by a goodnight kiss at the door. I want goals: Asensio and Saul wide, plus skip the double pivot for a second forward to play off Costa.”
Tbf, I never written Iniesta.
5 min Spain’s strip is a fetching homage to their 1994 kit – the red one, rather than the white away strip that ended up covered in Luis Enrique’s blood after he ran nose-first into Mauro Tassotti’s elbow.
4 min Spain steal possession and break down the left. Isco tries to stab a cross with the outside of the foot and makes a balls of it, toebunging it straight at Munir.
2 min “Another chance to see Iniesta; no need to talk that up,” says Charles Antaki. “But also another chance to see Busquets: surely the most elegant, balletic user of a football in what is traditionally a semi-clogger’s role? Spain must have the greatest proportion of players who make even the commentators purr, though as a predictor of winning the competition purring probably isn’t infallible.”
They should at least initiate the Fifa Purr Play Trophy.
1 min Peep peep! Spain, in red, get the match under way. Morocco are wearing their white away strip.
The players are ready for action. At least I assume they are; I’m currently staring at a blank screen because the BBC coverage does not start until kick-off.
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If permutations make you weak at the knees, this is for you.
Legal disclaimer: it may not actually be coming home
“Regarding your wobbling predictions about how far England will go, I find myself in a very similar predicament - mainly after yesterday,” says Shaun Wilkinson. “Never mind whether we can avoid Germany and Brazil in the quarters, how bloody good were Colombia last night?”
If they play England it will be 5-5. At half-time.
“This is Jeff from Ferndale, Michigan, USA,” writes Jeffrey Lilly. “I look forward to the World Cup the same way I look forward to the Olympics - a great ideal, of many nations and cultures coming together to compete in a fair manner. As the USA didn’t make it this time, I don’t have a rooting interest, and thus have been able to simply enjoy the spectacle. I have so many fond memories of working and traveling abroad in years past, coming together with soccer fans all over the world to watch World Cup games - my first was being in West Germany in ‘86 for their run to the finals when I was a teenager. I was in Japan for ‘98, ‘02, and ‘10, watching with Japanese friends and British, Aussie, and Kiwi expat friends. So many lifelong friendships made, and so many great times...”
Yes, in some ways the World Cup has nothing to do with football, particularly when you’re in your twenties. And if nothing else, the time difference during the 2002 World Cup made it compulsory, never mind acceptable, to have beer for breakfast. Especially on Friday 21 June 2002.
A reminder that you can follow the big game in this group, Iran v Portugal, with Simon Burnton.
“Germany can still top their group...” says Bob Wilson, “… if Sweden manage to beat Mexico and Germany trounce South Korea. Not impossible, just implausible.”
I’m not sure it’s even implausible – but I’d still expect Mexico to get at least a draw against Sweden.
An email! “I’m very worried Brazil are going to win it,” says Andrew Hurley. “Germany are awful (Kroos though had the best individual performance of the tournament for me v Sweden). Portugal - no. England (sorry!) - no. Argentina will go out. Belgium weak and have no passion (they don’t have a strong national identity). France - too many of their players hate their country, will buckle & don’t care enough. Croatia dark horses. Spain are my only hope!”
Brazil should play Germany in the second round, and who knows what kind of muck will be swilling round their subconscious after 2014. The best thing about this tournament so far is that nobody really knows anything – it’s the most open since 2002. At different stages in the past few days I’ve decided that England are going to reach the semis, that they’re going to lose to Colombia in the last 16, and that IT’S ONLY BLOODY COMING HOME.
Pre-match reading
Team news
Spain (4-2-3-1) De Gea; Carvajal, Pique, Ramos, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Thiago; Silva, Iniesta, Isco; Diego Costa.
Morocco (4-2-3-1) Munir; Hakimi, Da Costa, Saiss, Dirar; El Ahmadi, Boussoufa; Amrabat, Belhanda, Ziyech; Boutaib.
Referee Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan).
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Preamble
The World Cup moves pretty fast. It’s only 12 days since Julen Lopetegui was sacked as Spain coach but there are new stories and new crises which we can use to generate hot air. Spain have gone under the radar since the actual football started, and their geriatricos have arguably been the most impressive team in the tournament so far.
A draw against Morocco tonight would secure an unexpectedly smooth passage to the last 16, where they would face either Russia or Uruguay.
It should be a formality. Morocco are a talented, likeable team but they have nothing to play for except pride, and you know what Marsellus Wallace said about that. Spain could even go through with a defeat - you can read more about the permutations here - but they will want to win the match and the group to ensure an easier path to their semi-final defeat by England.
Kick off is at 7pm BST, 8pm in Kaliningrad.
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