Despite some minor trouble outside the stadium, the victory over Spain became a celebration of "Arab pride" for supporters from across the region. Walid Regragui's side won 3-0 in a penalty shootout after the match finished goalless following extra-time. So many people packed Doha's central Souq Waqif market - a traditional gathering point for World Cup fans - that police sealed it off just before midnight, with thousands waiting in groups at different entrances.
Copying the celebration of Moroccan players inside Doha's Education City Stadium, many fans waved Palestinian flags, stepping up a political show of solidarity that has marked this World Cup. "This is the first World Cup on Arab territory and we are carrying the Arab flag in this tournament," said Yussuf Akram, who waved Moroccan and Palestinian emblems in the crowded Souq alleys. Saudis, Qataris and Egyptians joined the celebrations, waving their countries' flags in the traditional market.