Spain 2-2 Morocco: 5 Talking Points as Spain top group ahead of Portugal, World Cup 2018

#4 Fernando Hierro waits too long to make substitutions

Fernando Hierro is yet to make a substitution before the 70th minute at the World Cup

In the first two games against Portugal and Iran, Hierro made Spain's first substitution only in the 70th and 71st minute. In both cases, it was Andres Iniesta - a player no longer capable of playing full-throttle for 90 minutes.

This time, again, Hierro only made changes in the 74th minute - a double change as Marco Asensio and Iago Aspas came on in place of Thiago Alcantara and Diego Costa. Iniesta was left on to see out the game.

Both Costa and Alcantara were clearly struggling to make an impact in the second half and Hierro probably took longer than necessary to make the change.

As soon as Aspas came on, he harried Morocco's defenders when they were on the ball, forcing them to get rid of it quickly and make errors so Spain could win it back and launch a counter-offensive.

And it was Aspas who eventually scored Spain's second with some clever movement from a corner. Spain took a quick corner, Aspas got himself quickly onside and then back-heeled the ball into the back of the net.

VAR took its time after the linesman raised his flag for offside but the goal stood and Spain made it 2-2.

8 - Iago Aspas has been directly involved in eight goals in his last eight games for Spain (five goals and three assists). Hero. #ESP #MAR #ESPMAR #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/uml6h9pNuQ

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 25, 2018