MONTERREY: Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties on Monday to reach the World Cup last 16 after their Round of 32 tie ended 1-1 following extra time, setting up a meeting with co-hosts Canada.
Ismael Saibari converted the winning spot kick after Yassine Bounou saved Crysencio Summerville’s penalty, sending Morocco through after a dramatic contest in which they had forced extra time with a stoppage-time equaliser.
Morocco’s Neil El Aynaoui and Dutch substitute Justin Kluivert missed their attempts before Bart Verbruggen appeared to save Soufiane Rahimi’s effort, only for the ball to squirm underneath him and trickle over the line.
Quinten Timber then put the ball wide with the Dutch side’s fourth kick, Achraf Hakimi struck the post with the chance to seal victory before Saibari kept his nerve to send Morocco through.
The shootout capped a gripping encounter in Monterrey that swung repeatedly in both teams’ favour, with Cody Gakpo’s emotional second-half opener cancelled out by Issa Diop’s stoppage-time header before neither team could find a winner in extra time.
Thousands of Morocco supporters erupted at the final whistle in the last World Cup match to be played in Monterrey, while many local fans celebrated with them after backing the African side throughout the evening.
“We know this type of game, we know against who we play,” Hakimi said. “We have to be focused and be strong physically but also mentally.
“I want to say thank you for Mexico for the support, all the Moroccans that came to support us.”
Morocco fashioned the better chances before the break, with goalkeeper Verbruggen producing a series of outstanding saves to deny Ayoub Bouaddi’s close-range header and Neil El Aynaoui’s powerful effort.
At the other end, Bounou was finally called into action to parry Micky van de Ven’s long-range strike.
Hakimi rattled the crossbar and forced another save from Verbruggen as the Dutch struggled to contain the full back’s runs from deep before Ronald Koeman’s introduction of Wout Weghorst gave his side a much-needed focal point in attack.
The Atlas Lions enjoyed vocal backing throughout, with many Mexican supporters adopting Morocco for the night and reviving chants of “No era penal (It wasn’t a penalty)”, recalling the controversial penalty that helped the Netherlands eliminate Mexico at the 2014 World Cup.
EMOTIONAL OPENER
The substitute’s impact was immediate as he won a flick-on that released Summerville, whose persistence created the opening for Gakpo to sweep a first-time finish beyond Bounou in the 72nd minute.
Playing days after he and his partner lost their unborn son during pregnancy, Gakpo broke down in tears as teammates rushed to embrace him.
The Netherlands looked increasingly comfortable, with captain Virgil van Dijk producing a crucial intervention to deny Saibari as Morocco threw numbers forward in search of an equaliser.
But just as the Dutch appeared set to see out the victory, substitute Chemsdine Talbi delivered a pinpoint cross from the left and Diop rose above Van Dijk to power a stoppage-time header beyond Verbruggen, sending the match into extra time.
“The game plan was working,” Van Dijk said. “In the end, in stoppage time, you get pushed back. Then it goes to penalties and then… unfortunately, we’re eliminated.
“Of course there are always things that could be better, but that doesn’t help us now.”
Momentum swung from end to end, with the Netherlands threatening on the counter as Morocco chased the game, but could not make their pressure count in open play.
Having weathered Gakpo’s emotional opener and survived Hakimi’s missed chance to settle the shootout, Morocco held their nerve when it mattered most to keep their World Cup dream alive and book a date with Canada in Houston on Saturday. — Reuters
