Morocco Edges Netherlands on Penalties to Reach Round of 16
Morocco secured a dramatic penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands to advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16, keeping alive their hopes of surpassing their semifinal finish from 2022. The match, played in Guadalajara, Mexico, ended 1-1 after extra time before Morocco triumphed 3-2 in the shootout.
Midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi expressed his joy on social media after the win. Posting on X, he wrote, "La victoire de tout un peuple" (roughly translating to "The victory of an entire people"), accompanied by a heart emoji and the Moroccan flag.
Match Highlights: Gakpo Scores, Diop Equalises
The Netherlands took the lead in the 72nd minute through Cody Gakpo, who slotted home after a period of sustained pressure. The Dutch appeared poised to progress until Morocco mounted a dramatic stoppage-time response. In the 91st minute, Chemsdine Talbi delivered a teasing cross into the penalty area, where Issa Diop rose highest to power a header past the goalkeeper, leveling the score at 1-1 and silencing the Dutch supporters.
The equaliser shifted momentum in Morocco's favour, but neither side could create a decisive opportunity during the additional 30 minutes of extra time. Both teams remained disciplined defensively, forcing the contest to be settled by penalties.
Shootout Drama: Bounou Heroics and Saibari's Decisive Penalty
The shootout proved tense, with players from both sides missing two penalties each. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou once again demonstrated his reputation as a penalty-saving specialist by correctly diving to deny Crysencio Summerville. With the scores level, Ismael Saibari stepped up to take Morocco's decisive penalty and calmly converted, sealing a 3-2 shootout victory and sparking jubilant celebrations among the Moroccan players and fans.
The victory keeps Morocco's dream alive of going beyond their historic 2022 semifinal run, as they now prepare for the round of 16 clash.
