Morocco Knock Out Netherlands on Penalties

Morocco booked a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 after edging the Netherlands 3-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time at Monterrey Stadium on Monday. The Morocco World Cup win keeps the African nation’s title hopes alive and sets up a clash with Canada in Houston on July 4.

The match remained evenly balanced until the 72nd minute when Cody Gakpo put the Netherlands ahead after finishing a well-worked move created by Crysencio Summerville. The Dutch looked set to progress, but Morocco produced a late response.

With only seconds remaining in stoppage time, Issa Diop powered home a header to level the score and force the contest into extra time. Neither side could find another goal during the additional 30 minutes, leaving the outcome to be decided from the penalty spot.

During the shootout, Neil El Aynaoui and Achraf Hakimi missed for Morocco. However, the Netherlands suffered more costly misses as Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Crysencio Summerville all failed to convert their penalties. Ismael Saibari then calmly scored the decisive kick to complete the Morocco World Cup win and send his side into the next round.

The defeat extended the Netherlands’ disappointing record in World Cup penalty shootouts. It marked the Dutch side’s fourth shootout loss in the tournament, equalling Spain for the most penalty-shootout defeats in FIFA World Cup history.

The Morocco World Cup win reflects the team’s resilience and determination after fighting back from a goal down. They will now turn their attention to Canada as they aim to continue their impressive run in the tournament.