Crush at World Cup Stadium Sparks Safety Concerns for Morocco-Spain Match

Doha narrowly avoided a tragedy similar to the one that occurred in Seoul during the Halloween celebrations in October. Many Moroccan and Spanish fans found themselves blocked in a diamond-mesh fence outside the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. The riot police had just pushed them back. In a video shared by Daily Mail correspondent Kathryn Batte, fans could be heard screaming as police dogs barked in the distance. Fortunately, they were able to breathe through the gaps in the fence, which averted a potential tragedy. The reasons that prompted the police to push back the fans remain unknown for the moment.

After the commotion, mounted police were also seen patrolling the area, while security guards checked the tickets for the Morocco-Spain match. Those who had tickets were allowed to pass, while those who did not were turned away.

At the end of a hard-fought match, Morocco managed to eliminate Spain on penalties (3-0 on penalties, 0-0 a.e.t.), thus securing their first-ever quarter-final qualification in a World Cup. Next challenge? The Atlas Lions will face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Saturday, who secured a comfortable victory over Switzerland (6-1).