Regragui breaking new World Cup ground for African coaches

Morocco boss Walid Regragui became the first ever African coach to take a team into the World Cup quarter-finals when his side beat Spain on penalties, despite only taking over the reins in August.

Regragui was appointed before the tournament with Moroccan football in turmoil after previous coach Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked over "differences of opinion" with the country's football federation.

But in seven matches since then, the Atlas Lions have been unbeaten, conceding only once - an own goal in their final group game against already-eliminated Canada.

In just five months since leaving Wydad Casablanca, Regragui has become an international coach for the first time and made his home nation the first ever North African or Arab country to reach the last eight of the World Cup.

One more win against Portugal on Saturday would make Morocco the first African team to reach the semi-finals - surpassing the 1990 Cameroon side, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana's 2010 vintage.

"If you can do it, you can, if not, not," the 47-year-old said of breaking new ground for an African or Arab coach.

"It has nothing to do with being Arab or not. I fought for it. Maybe when I'm old, I'll be proud of it, but for the moment, I am mainly proud for my country.

"And with a local coach, it's the best thing for me and for my country."

Regragui's side battled fiercely off the ball to close down space against Spain on Tuesday in their first last-16 match since 1986.

The coach has seen several big decisions pay off in recent months and his tactics of allowing Spain possession worked a treat.

Morocco created the better chances in the game but could not take them, before Spain missed all three of their spot-kicks with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou the hero.

"We had agreed