Morocco booked their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a dramatic 1-1 draw after extra time in Monterrey.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as Morocco’s hero, producing a crucial save to deny Crysencio Summerville in the penalty shootout before Ismael Saibari converted the decisive spot-kick to send the Atlas Lions into the next round.
Morocco will now face Canada in the Round of 16 after producing a spirited comeback against the Dutch.
The Netherlands looked set for victory after Cody Gakpo gave his side the lead midway through the second half. The Liverpool forward celebrated emotionally after scoring, having recently suffered the heartbreaking loss of his unborn child.
However, Morocco refused to give up and found a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time when Issa Diop headed home from a cross to force the contest into extra time.
Both teams created chances throughout the match, with Morocco coming closest in the opening half through Neil El Aynaoui and Achraf Hakimi, but Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen produced several outstanding saves to keep the score level.
The match remained fiercely contested, with both sides battling intensely and creating opportunities in extra time. Verbruggen made another remarkable save to deny Soufiane Rahimi, while Bounou also stood firm whenever Morocco came under pressure.
The tie was eventually decided from the penalty spot, where Morocco recovered from an early miss to claim victory after Bounou’s decisive save and Saibari’s winning penalty secured a memorable triumph for the North African side.
The result sends Morocco into the last 16, while the Netherlands bow out of the tournament despite taking the lead during regulation time.
