Morocco booked their place in the FIFA 2026 World Cup Round of 16 after defeating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico.
- +Morocco knock out Netherlands, set up Canada clash in World Cup Round of 16
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as Morocco’s hero, producing the decisive save to deny Crysencio Summerville from the Netherlands’ fifth penalty before substitute Ismael Saibari calmly converted the winning spot-kick.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as Morocco’s hero, producing the decisive save to deny Crysencio Summerville from the Netherlands’ fifth penalty before substitute Ismael Saibari calmly converted the winning spot-kick.
The victory sends the Atlas Lions into a Round of 16 clash with Canada in Houston on Saturday.
Morocco rescued the tie in the first minute of stoppage time through Issa Diop, whose glancing header cancelled out Cody Gakpo’s second-half opener just as the Dutch looked set to progress.
Gakpo had given the Netherlands the lead midway through the second half in an emotional moment, scoring just days after his partner confirmed the loss of the couple’s unborn child.
The Liverpool forward sank to the turf in tears after finding the net as teammates gathered around him in a prolonged embrace.
However, Morocco refused to surrender and levelled deep into added time when the unmarked Diop headed home from Chemsdine Talbi’s inviting cross.
Morocco created the better chances throughout an intense and physical contest that tested the patience of Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio.
The Atlas Lions nearly broke the deadlock in the 20th minute when Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen brilliantly saved Neil El Aynaoui’s glancing header from Achraf Hakimi’s corner.
Verbruggen was called into action again moments later, tipping Hakimi’s powerful long-range strike over the crossbar.
The Netherlands enjoyed long spells of possession but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities, with their best first-half chance coming when Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven unleashed a fierce effort that Bounou expertly turned over the bar.
Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui praised his team’s resilience after eliminating one of the tournament favourites.
“A really tough game against a really tough opponent. One of the best opponents you can face in the world,” Mazraoui said.
“It’s a top-10 team in the world and a contender to win the World Cup. The way that we managed to win today is a huge acknowledgement for us as a national team.”
Morocco will now face Canada for a place in the quarter-finals as they continue another impressive FIFA World Cup campaign after their historic semi-final run in Qatar four years ago.
