Related videos:
Morocco defeated Netherlands in the penalty shootout (3-2) after ending the extra time tied at 1-1, advancing to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup in a match held on Monday, June 29, at the , Mexico.
The match, corresponding to the round of 32, had a low offensive pace in the first half, with Morocco largely dominating possession (70% compared to 30% for the Netherlands) without either team managing to score.
The action came in the second half. In the 72nd minute, Cody Gakpo gave the Netherlands the lead, taking advantage of the substitutions of Koopmeiners and Weghorst in the 71st minute. However, just when the match seemed sealed, Issa Diop equalized with a header in the 90th minute —the same player who had received a yellow card in the 47th minute— to force extra time.
The additional 30 minutes did not result in more goals, and the match was decided from the penalty spot. In the shootout, Morocco successfully converted three penalties taken by S. Rahimi, C. Talbi, and a third executor, while El Aynaoui and Hakimi missed. For the Netherlands, Koopmeiners and Weghorst scored, but Kluivert, Timber, and Summerville failed, leaving the Dutch team with only two penalties converted.
The statistics reflected Morocco's dominance throughout the match: 11 shots (five on target) compared to six (two on target) from the Netherlands, and eight corners to five. The Dutch committed 18 fouls to their opponents' 15.
With the elimination, the Netherlands is out of the tournament despite having led Group F with seven points and remaining unbeaten in the group stage, scoring 10 goals and conceding four under the management of Ronald Koeman.
Morocco, which reached the semifinals in Qatar 2022 as the best African team in World Cup history, advanced to this stage as the runner-up in Group C with seven points, after drawing against Brazil (1-1), defeating Scotland (1-0), and thrashing Haiti (4-2).
The "Lions of the Atlas" will face Canada in the round of 16 on July 4, 2026 at the Houston Stadium. Canada advanced thanks to a last-minute goal by Stephen Eustaquio in the 90th minute against South Africa.
Filed under: