Morocco is into the quarter-finals for the first time ever.
Achraf Hakimi’s game-winning penalty sent Morocco into the round of eight of the World Cup.
The two teams couldn’t be separated after 120 minutes and Spain failed to convert any of their three penalties, with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou brilliantly saving two.
That left Paris St-Germain’s Hakimi – born and raised in Madrid no less – to win it with his nerveless spot-kick and spark jubilant scenes in the stands.
Education City Stadium was filled mostly by Morocco fans, who went wild at the final whistle as their side reached the last eight for the first time, where they will face Portugal or Switzerland on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
The north African side’s fans had been making themselves heard all game but the atmosphere in the stands did not match the attritional battle on the pitch.
Spain hogged the ball and Morocco sat back plugging the gaps, with very few clear-cut chances being created.
Luis Enrique’s side came closest to breaking the deadlock courtesy of Dani Olmo, who struck an arrowed drive from the angle which Bounou pushed away and the goalkeeper also did brilliantly well to keep out Olmo’s dangerous free-kick late on.
Morocco was playing on the counter and should have scored in the opening period but Nayef Aguerd sent his unmarked header over, while their only shot on target came via Noussair Mazraoui’s long-range drive which was gathered by Unai Simon.
Only the fourth African team to reach that stage after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.
