The great fiasco of Spain is consummated in a disastrous penalty shootout against Morocco

• Frame.

  This is the round of 16

• Narration.

  This is how we told you about the game

Spain

, governor for two hours of a one-way party,

.

penalty shootout

.

A batch of pentaltis probably undeserved, but unavoidable under the terrible scream of

(or public that went with Morocco).

A penalty shootout to live or die in the most important tournament in the world.

A penalty shootout to dream of or cry about in the only place where failures are not allowed.

.

The Qatar team leaves with a 'panenka' against it, a metaphor for a collapse that few suspected after the start against

.

Spain has an idea and has defended it to the end, but that idea has cracks and a tournament like this does not forgive.

Spain fell to a rival much inferior to which it was enough with sweat and self-esteem to resist until the precipice and, once there, push a trembling team, dead before taking the first penalty.

From more to less,

, since the generation of players has a long way to go, and this invites us to think about whether another project is possible.

.

Extra time and penalties wanted to deposit the team in the semifinals in the last Eurocup, but always being forced to that luck is not worth it.

Because things like this Tuesday can happen.

And situations like the one experienced, a round of 16 against Morocco, will rarely return.

And if they return it will be, at least, within four years.

It is true that this football is played with a single ball, and physics, and logic, and everything, says that if a team has that ball, the other team cannot score a goal.

This does not mean that the team that has the ball will score a goal before the other,

.

In fact, Spain did not mark it.

That's why this sport is so strange.

Spain had the ball, then, almost all the time, looking for what they always look for, kneading the game, attracting attention to one place and entering the other, but yesterday it was difficult, also as always.

Because

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Far from testing those obvious problems that Luis Enrique's team has when they come upon them, the African team chose to get into their own field and sow the minefield.

Spain could not untangle the cable throughout the first part, and that was immediately seen on the field the explanation for the entry of Llorente on the right side.

At the beginning of the plays, the Atlético player got into the right inside position and first Gavi and then Pedri started the game in the position of theoretical winger of that band.

The coach was looking to open up the band, Ferran, and for Llorente to start the unchecking break towards the baseline, either to put it deep, or for the Barça winger to get inside driving.

The selection could not enter through there or through any other site.

A clear chance can hardly be recognized in the first quarter, which came from a wonderful pass from Jordi Alba over the defense that Asensio crashed into the side of the net, giving the impression that he was intuited offside (I didn't). I was).

For the rest, Spain reached the end line on half a dozen occasions, but made a mistake on that last pass and, if there was no mistake, the assistance did not find someone to finish it off, among other things because there was no center forward on the field.

The absence of Morata in the eleven was the other striking point.

A player who has gone on goal per game since the tournament began was left out to give Asensio a reel in that place.

Spain lacked someone to finish off.

Morocco played with the fever of a people, with that unconsciousness that gives the option of reparation, regardless of whether or not there are reasons for that reparation.

Driven by the extremely high decibels in the stadium, they withstood Spain's attempts from their 4-5-1 position with some solvency, but it was very difficult for them to cross the midfield.

Impeccable Rodrigo in the balls from Bono to En-Nesyri, the team's main and almost only argument, the few times they managed to steal with some advantage, the seams of a team with a lot of soul and fewer arguments appeared.

In the final moments of the first half, he did create his clearest chance, a cross from Boufal that Aguerd finished off wide.

Once the tension of the first stake had been overcome, the break appeared to give each other a moment of reflection.

On return nothing changed.

If possible, Spain had the ball even more, generated fewer chances, that is to say none, and also suffered fewer chances, that is, none too.

Morata entered for Asensio and Soler for Gavi, who is not there to play the entire games, and with a quarter of an hour to go Luis Enrique removed Ferran, disastrous, but really disastrous, all afternoon, to give Nico Williams a road.

There was no way.

Morocco, increasingly tired of running after the ball, began to think about penalties, and that was a lifetime ahead.

The more time passed, the better it was for Morocco and the worse for Spain, with the vertigo of elimination that always haunts the favourite.

Spain had chances, especially from set pieces, with a shot from Morata, another from Laporte and one of those balls that goes into the area,

Nobody touches and that Bono saved when it was a goal.

But there was no way.

Extra time was inevitable, and the fact is that Spain was better at it than its rival, pure desire for penalties.

However, Spain was tired.

He tried to revitalize it Luis Enrique with a new left wing, putting Balde and Ansu in place of Olmo and Jordi Alba.

The team persisted and persisted, and was always on the prowl, but their legs began to give out, and in fact the best chance of the overtime came from Morocco in Cheddira's boots.

A miraculous foot from Unai Simón prevented disaster.

Spain did not stop until the last moment, when Sarabia, who had gone out for penalties, was about to avoid them with a shot to the post.

Spain had deserved more, and XXXXXXXx

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• football

• Spain Soccer Team

• Morocco national football team

• Articles Eduardo J. Castelao

• Luis Enrique