Hakimi’s ‘Panenka’ penalty advances Morocco at World Cup

By ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Achraf Hakimi converted the decisive spot kick for Morocco with a little dink of a shot known as a “Panenka” in a penalty shootout win over Spain to make his team the first Arab country ever to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. He didn’t use his full force to strike the ball but instead waited for Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón to lunge to his right before lightly pushing the ball into the center of the goal. Hakimi then performed a little celebratory dance and then added to the playful theme by faking out his onrushing teammates in terms of which area of the field he was going to run to for more celebrations.