Morocco fans in London celebrate World Cup win over Spain

LONDON: Jubilant Morocco fans poured onto the streets of central London on Tuesday night to celebrate their team’s historic win over Spain in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Becoming the first Arab nation to reach the quarterfinals of a World Cup, Morocco beat the 2010 champions in a penalty shoot-out in which keeper Yassine Bounou saved all three of Spain’s shots before Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi slotted home.

Footage on social media showed elated crowds of people around Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus and Edgware Road dancing and waving Moroccan flags after the result.

Describing the scenes on Edgware Road, 21-year-old student Jahmell-Hasan Rhys Campbell told The Guardian: “It was incredible. There were lots of flags everywhere. Not just Moroccan flags but flags of almost every African nation.

“The cars were beeping every second, people were dancing in the street and hanging out of their car windows. It was such a surreal experience. (There were) easily around 300 people.”

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI issued a statement sending his “heartfelt congratulations” to the team, noting that the players had given “their all and blazed a trail throughout this great sporting event.”

He added that they represent the “hopes and dreams of Moroccans in Morocco, Qatar, and all over the world,” as they ready themselves for a last-eight meeting with Portugal on Saturday.