Frame.
This is the round of 16
Saturday was a transition day in Doha.
At least as far as the Spanish team is concerned.
The players enjoyed their second day off
since the concentration began on Monday, November 14, and they repeated what they had on the first day: they shared out with their families in different trendy restaurants, most of them in the
Katara beach
area or in the complex of small islands known as
La Perla
.
It was time to definitely forget about the blow that was the night against Japan and it was also time to postpone the afternoon focus against Morocco next Tuesday.
The defeat against the Asians led to an extra day to prepare for the round of 16.
The feeling right now in the Federation is that
anything can happen on Tuesday
.
Nothing new with an unpredictable team, capable of squandering in the third all the credit earned in the first and second games.
The rival will be Morocco, which is celebrating its fifth World Cup here
(Spain has been with this one from Qatar in 16)
, but that difference in pedigree means nothing.
The numbers say that, since they won their title in 2010, in South Africa, Spain has a severe problem in the World Cups.
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Since then, he has played
10 games
.
And the balance could not be more balanced.
Three wins, four draws and three losses
.
Put more simply: in the last 12 years,
Spain has only won 30% of the games
it has played in a global final phase.
One of those draws also meant elimination, since in the round of 16 of
Russia'2018
the penalties went to the hostess after 1-1 in 90 minutes and overtime.
From the sky of Johannesburg, those round of 16 were the roof of Spain.
In Brazil, 2014
, defending the title with the full frame of the world champion and double in Europe, the elimination was extremely painful.
In a stale environment, with a dressing room with many problems, Spain had one of the biggest riots in the World Cups in the opening game.
After winning thanks to a penalty converted by Xabi Alonso, Spain fell resoundingly against the then called
Netherlands (1-5)
.
Four days later, in Maracaná,
Chile certified (0-2)
the ridiculous nationality.
Not a week had passed since the start and the champion was eliminated.
Earthquake
In Russia, in 2018
, the earthquake caused by Lopetegui with his signing for Madrid and Rubiales with his emotional incontinence led to an impromptu coach, Hierro, and a draw with
Portugal
, a very long-suffering victory against Iran and another draw precisely against Morocco in the third game of the first phase.
In fact, if it weren't for the VAR, which premiered in that tournament and validated a goal from Aspas in discount that the line had cancelled, that would have been another defeat.
And here, in
Qatar
, you know.
Exhibition against Costa Rica, a convincing game, tough, against Germany and a blush against Japan.
On Tuesday, at Education City, Spain faces a team that, like so many others, will give them the ball.
At least that's what the numbers suggest.
Spain has an average of 926 passes per game (Morocco, 353.7), shoots 12 times (8.7) and has nine goals (four)
.
But, sooner or later, if they find themselves behind on the scoreboard, or start, as the Spanish coaching staff suspect, they will apply pressure similar to what Japan did at the start of the second half.
That will be the moment to see the reaction and learning of the selection.
Spain also faces the rounds where there is no turning back.
If he is not able to solve the game in 90 or 120 minutes, there will be penalties.
Interestingly,
three of the last four major tournament knockout matches have gone to penalties
.
Four years ago in Russia, she lost to the hostess.
Last year, in the Eurocup, after eliminating
Croatia
in extra time in Copenhagen, the pass to the seminals was played with
Switzerland
(won) in Saint Petersburg and the pass to the final was played against Italy at Wembley (lost).
The coach already said the other day that he had asked them to practice during the year, and these days, at the University of Qatar, they continue to do so.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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Spain Soccer Team
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Morocco national football team
Luis Enrique
Articles Eduardo J. Castelao