Morocco secured their place in the World Cup last 16 after beating the Netherlands in a dramatic penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in Monterrey, Softfootball reports.
The Atlas Lions survived a tense match that lasted almost three hours, winning 3-2 on penalties to set up a last-16 meeting with Canada.
Ismael Saibari scored the decisive penalty after both teams struggled from the spot, while goalkeeper Yassine Bounou became the hero by saving Crysencio Summerville’s effort. His crucial stop brought back memories of his famous penalty heroics against Spain at the 2022 World Cup.
The 2025 AFCON champions deserved their progression after controlling much of the match against a cautious Netherlands side. Cody Gakpo looked to have sent the Dutch through when he scored in the 72nd minute, but Issa Diop equalised with a powerful header from Chemsdine Talbi’s cross to force extra time.
The Dutch briefly looked set to steal victory when substitute Wout Weghorst helped create space for Crysencio Summerville, who assisted Gakpo’s goal, but Morocco responded strongly. Extra time produced few chances before the dramatic shootout decided the tie.
Player Ratings
| Netherlands Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Bart Verbruggen | 7 |
| Nathan Ake | 6 |
| Virgil Van Dijk | 6 |
| Jan Paul Van Hecke | 7 |
| Micky Van De Ven | 7 |
| Frenkie De Jong | 7 |
| Ryan Gravenberch | 6 |
| Denzel Dumfries | 7 |
| Cody Gakpo | 7 |
| Crysencio Summerville | 7 |
| Brian Brobbey | 6 |
| Teun Koopmeiners | 5 |
| Wout Weghorst | 5 |
| Jorrel Hato | 5 |
| Quinten Timber | 5 |
| Marten de Roon | 5 |
| Justin Kluivert | N/A |
| Morocco Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Yassine Bounou | 7 |
| Noussair Mazraoui | 7 (Man of the Match) |
| Chadi Riad | 6 |
| Issa Diop | 7 |
| Achraf Hakimi | 7 |
| Neil El Aynaoui | 7 |
| Ayyoub Bouaddi | 7 |
| Azzedine Ounahi | 7 |
| Bilal El Khannouss | 6 |
| Ismael Saibari | 7 |
| Brahim Diaz | 5 |
| Anass Salah-Eddine | 6 |
| Samir El Mourabet | 5 |
| Gessime Yassine | 6 |
| Chemsdine Talbi | 7 |
| Soufiane Rahimi | 6 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Netherlands | Morocco |
|---|---|---|
| Ball possession | 30% | 70% |
| Total shots | 6 | 11 |
| Shots on target | 2 | 5 |
| Big chances | 1 | 5 |
| Corner kicks | 5 | 8 |
| Passes | 79% | 91% |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 1 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.24 | 1.40 |
| xG on target (xGOT) | 0.17 | 2.23 |
| Total shots | 6 | 11 |
| Shots on target | 2 | 5 |
| Shots off target | 1 | 4 |
| Fouls | 18 | 15 |
