Bisnis.com, JAKARTA – Cheers from the audience accompanied Achraf Hakimi’s celebration. defender morocco national team he danced like a penguin after kicking the ball against the Spanish national team. As well as being instrumental for the Atlas Lions to qualify for the quarter-finals World Cup 2022.

This dance is usually performed with Sergio Ramos, a co-defender of the PSG club, when he manages to break into the opposing goal. The celebration is at the same time a satire of the spanish national team who didn’t call out the legendary defender that Hakimi idolized.

In the round of 16 on Tuesday night (6/12), the Atlas Lions beat the Matador team. 90 minutes plus 30 minutes of extra time, not enough to tear the nets from the goals. The determination of the teams qualified for the last eight is done via penalties.

The three Spanish enforcers, Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and captain Sergio Busquets, were slow. They failed to score, as all of their shots were denied by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Bono, as he is usually called, is the savior god of Moroccan goals until the round of 16. The 31-year-old who earns his living at Spanish club Sevilla conceded just one goal against Canada.

The score ended 3-0. Only a Moroccan executor, Badr Benoun, did not find the net against Spain. Apart from Hakimi, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Hakim Ziyech also contributed to the victory of the Atlas Lions.

Moroccan national team goalkeeper Yassine Bounou blocks the ball during the match against Croatia./Instagram Yassine Bounou

Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Doha, witnessed yet another historic feat for the Moroccan national team that night. data-driven Football World CupsThe Atlas lion has participated in the World Cup six times, namely 1970, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2018 and 2022.

Its best achievement was qualifying for the knockout stages of the 1986 World Cup. Heading to the quarter-finals is a new story for this black horse African team. Also, able to topple the giant Spanish soccer team.

In three World Cup matches, Morocco have never won against Spain. Twice beaten by the Matador team, and a draw.

Revenge of Moroccan history

The victory of the Atlas Lion can be seen as a “revenge” for the Spanish occupation a century ago. For nearly 44 years (1912-1956) Morocco was colonized by Spain. Based on the book Timeline of the Third Rif War by Steven Thomas, during these years Morocco and Spain were involved in a major war, the Rif. In this war, Matador Country relied on France to cross the Strait of Gilbratar.

The Rif War, also known as the Second Moroccan War, was fought in the early 1920s between Spain and France against Berber tribes in the mountainous Rif region of Morocco. The Rif army was led by Abd al-Karim. At first, Morocco managed to defeat the Spanish army. Using guerrilla tactics, the Moroccan army captured the weapons of the Spanish army.

In the 18th century, Morocco was at war with Spain. Based on A history of modern Moroccoby Susan Gilson Miller of the University of Cambridge in 2013, this war is called the First Moroccan War.

However, many call this event the Tetouan War or the African War. The battle that took place from October 22, 1859 until the signing of the Wad-Ras agreement on April 26, 1860. The conflict that began with the invasion of Moroccan tribes in the city of Ceuta. Spain responded by invading Morocco.

Aerial photo of the Strait of Gilbratar connecting the African continent to Europe./dreamstime

Two decades ago, these two countries nearly reopened the war. Fight for the vacant land, the island of Perijil. The 15-hectare island is a few hundred meters from the Moroccan coast. The fire in the hull still marks the relationship between the two countries. Morocco ‘kicked it off’ by beating Spain at the 2022 World Cup.

The game between Morocco and Portugal in the quarter-finals tonight was no less exciting. The two countries which are separated by the Strait of Gibraltar were hit by a protracted conflict from the 8th century AD to the beginning of the 18th century AD. The war had its ups and downs.

The biggest war between Morocco and Portugal took place in the 15th century, known as the War of the Three Kings or Battle of the Three Kings. Portugal’s power during this period extended from Africa, Asia to Latin America.

But this power collapsed when the Portuguese, as Portugal was called, began to colonize Africa in 1419. During the War of the Three Kings, the Portuguese Empire was destroyed. In fact, it ended up collapsing at the hands of Moroccan Muslim troops.

Atlas Asa Lions The misfits at the World Cup

The match between Morocco and Portugal in the quarter-finals will be exciting. Statistically, the encounter is 50:50. In the 1986 World Cup, Portugal lost to Morocco 1-3. Then during the 2018 World Cup, the Selecao das Quinas team won 1-0 against Singa Atlas. Both matches took place in the round of 16.

If they qualify for the quarter-finals, Morocco will become the first African representatives to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. So far, some African teams have qualified for the quarter-finals, namely Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010).

As for Portugal, it is the third quarter-final. Earlier in 1966, Portugal beat North Korea 5-3 in 1966 and crushed England in a 3-1 penalty shootout in 2006.

Positive balance for Morocco, because in the last four matches, they won three and drew one. Unlike Portugal, which recorded three wins and one defeat.

What Portugal lacks in the current roster is defence, while the attacking spearhead is quite effective compared to Morocco. On the other hand, Morocco are stronger in defence, while the attack is not as sharp as Portugal.

Morocco is the representative of the marginal champion countries, namely Africa and Asia which have never won a World Cup title since it was held in 1930. So far, the world champions were held by European and American representatives, more precisely Latinos.

At the 2022 World Cup, the African representatives fell in the group stage and in the round of 16. Besides Morocco, the representatives of the Black Continent are Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana and Tunisia. Representatives of Asia did not spare a single team. Japan and South Korea fell in the round of 16. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran and Australia failed to advance to the group stage.

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