Fifa World Cup: Results and reactions from day 16
Portugal take on Switzerland in the World Cup looking to grab the final place in the quarter-finals in Qatar and a match with either Spain or Morocco.
Portugal finished top of Group H despite their defeat to South Korea, with head coach Fernando Santos forced to answer questions surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s place in the team following his reaction to being substituted in the 2-1 loss. Ronaldo’s performances have been generally underwhelming and the subject of criticism in Portugal, with the 37-year-old looking to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time since 2006.
Switzerland will be hoping to spring an upset after they finished runner-up in Group G thanks to a dramatic and stormy 3-2 win over Serbia. Switzerland will be hoping to spring another surprise at a major tournament and take inspiration from their victory over France in the last 16 of Euro 2020 last summer. The World Cup has been full of upsets so far, apart from the knockout stages, but Switzerland will be out to provide a late twist. Follow all the action in our live blog below, following the conclusion of Morocco vs Spain.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
117 mins: Morocco are stepping it up Cheddira is sent on the counter-attack and carries the ball all the way into the box but getting tackled before getting a shot away.
Spain respond with a breakaway of their own but Alvaro Morata’s pass into the box for Ansu Fati is too heavy and it rolls out of play.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
114 mins: Saiss hobbles back onto the pitch with strapping covering his left hamstring. Busquets sends the ball down the line to Balde who crosses it into the middle where El Yamiq scoops it clear for the African side.
Just six minutes plus stoppage time to go.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
111 mins: Romain Saiss boots a clearance away from the edge of his own box and immediately goes to ground clutching his hamstring. That’s a blow for Morocco’s captain how shuffles off to the side of the pitch for some treatment.
Morocco are playing with 10-men at the minute.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
108 mins: Balde is sent sprinting down the left wing but Hakimi matches him for pace and marshalls the ball out of play for a Moroccan goal kick.
There’s no playing out from the back this time as Bono belts the ball long.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
105 mins: Morocco get the second half of extra-time underway and boot the ball as far down the pitch as they can. They’ll be hoping to take this game to penalties now.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
105+1 mins: The first half of extra-time comes to an end when a Spanish corner is swung into the middle. Bono comes and flaps it out as far as Llorente who sends a shot back into the box but has his effort blocked and cleared.
15 more minutes to play in this one before a penalty shootout.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
103 mins: Chance! Azzedine Ounahi brings the ball up the pitch and slips it into the box for Walid Cheddira. He cuts through the Spain defence, avoids a tackle from Rodri then drills a shot at goal but Unai Simon denies him with an outstretched right leg!
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
102 mins: Ansu Fati’s introduction has added an injection of pace into Spain’s attack. He tries to get around Achraf Hakimi but is blocked off. Alvaro Morata then whips in a cross but it’s headed clear.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
99 mins: Nearly! Nico Williams shuffles away from a tackle on the right wing then lifts a decent cross into the box but the ball is too high for Alvaro Morata who looks for the header.
It drops over the top of him and Morocco clear their lines.
Luis Enrique makes a double change taking off Dani Olmo and Jordi Alba in favour of Alejandro Balde and Ansu Fati.
ET Morocco 0-0 Spain
96 mins: Jordi Alba’s low ball into the box from the left flies by Carlos Soler and Morocco work the ball away. It comes to Sofyan Amrabat who threads a beautiful through ball up the pitch and gets Walid Cheddira in on goal.
The forward carries the ball into the box but holds onto it too long allowing Aymeric Laporte to get back and poke the ball away from him.
Huge chance for Morocco and it goes begging.
