Aspas late show rescues Spain

IAGO Aspas left it late to spare Spain’s blushes and send them through to a last-16 clash with hosts Russia as Group B winners.

The Celta Vigo forward came off the bench to score a stoppage-time leveller which edged Spain above Portugal on goals scored and stretched their unbeaten run to 23 matches.

Khalid Boutaib opened the scoring for Morocco but Isco equalised, before substitute Youssef En-Nesyri thought he had won it with nine minutes left.

But it was not to be as Aspas, right, scored a classy backheeled goal which was initially ruled out for offside before that was overturned by a VAR review.

Morocco took a shock lead as Spain’s Andres Iniesta and Sergio Ramos both left the ball to each other – and Boutaib took full advantage, racing through to finish.

Iniesta made up for his mistake by picking out Isco for the leveller

SPAIN MOROCCO

just five minutes after they had gone behind.

There was bedlam when En Nesyri – who plays for Malaga in Spain – powered in a header from a corner.

But there was more drama to come when an Aspas equaliser was waved off for offside, then overturned. Morocco coach Herve Renard said: “Our players, the whole team, should be commended for this game and the World Cup. We’ve shown we can take on two of the best teams in Portugal and Spain.”

SPAIN (4-3-3): Goals: MOROCCO (4-1-4-1):