Monterrey ∙ No one can separate the ‘association’ between the knockout round and injury time in this FIFA World Cup. In three of the four matches held so far, the deciding goals were scored in injury time. Most recently, in the Netherlands-Morocco match, the injury time goal of Morocco was scored by ‘cutting’ the Dutch team. With this, the match was tied at 1-1 and went to extra time and then penalty shootout. Finally, the African powerhouse Morocco defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in the penalty shootout and entered the World Cup pre-quarters.
Koopminers scored the Netherlands’ first kick in the shootout. But the Moroccan Ainavi’s shot hit the crossbar. 1–0. In the second kick, Dutchman Kluivert’s shot hit the post and Moroccan Rahimi’s shot was blocked by Dutch goalkeeper Verbruggen, but the ball slipped out of his hands and into the net. Score 1–1. In the third kick, both teams found the target. Wegorst flicked the ball into the top corner. Youngster Talbi was also on target for Morocco. Both teams missed the fourth kick. Timber’s shot went wide of the post. Morocco captain Hakimi’s shot that followed hit the post. Then the crucial fifth kick. Summerville’s shot was saved by Moroccan keeper Yassin Bono. But Ismail Saibari took the last kick and slotted the ball into the net to seal Morocco’s victory.
∙ Orange Pada took the lead, followed by ‘Injury’
The Netherlands took the lead in the 72nd minute of the match through Cody Gakpo’s goal. Gakpo Morocco opened the scoring with a beautiful right-footed shot off a superb assist from Crescencio Summerville. Then the orange shirts on the field and in the gallery were literally screaming. Cody Gakpo and his partner Nova Wonder Bay’s unborn child passed away two days ago. Before the pain subsided, Gakpo stepped out to play for the country. After scoring the goal, the Kodi player closed his eyes and looked at the sky.
Cody Gakpo is congratulated by teammates after scoring the winning goal for the Netherlands against Morocco in the FIFA World Cup Knockout. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril
After this, Morocco stepped up its attack. However, after 90 minutes of the match, the Dutch team secured victory. But before a minute had passed, Morocco was shocked. Defender Issa Diop’s brilliant header from Chemseddine Talbi’s pass; The stadium was rocked by the excitement of the Moroccan fans, and the blow from Orca put the Orange team in the chest. score. 1–1. The injury time was extended for another five minutes, but neither team could score the winning goal. With that, the game went to extra time. the
But neither team could score in either half of extra time. In the first half of extra time, Morocco’s superstar Sufian Rahimi broke through the Dutch defense and came close to scoring. But Bart Verbruggen was the savior of the Netherlands with a brilliant save. It was the star’s fifth major save of the match. After 30 minutes of extra time, neither team could score any more goals and the match went to penalty shootout.
∙ First half 0–0
The first half of the clash between European giants Netherlands and African powerhouse Morocco was goalless. Mexico’s Monterrey Stadium witnessed a battle between the equal powers at the start, both in possession and attack. While Morocco led the attack with 4 shots, the Netherlands slightly dominated possession. Two of the four shots fired by Morocco were on target. The Netherlands had one of three shots on target but missed.
At the start of the match, there was a fierce fight between Moroccan forward Ismail Saibari and Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke on the field. The game heated up in the 10th minute when Saibari came face-to-face and clashed with Van Hecke’s foul. In the first half hour of the game, Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen stopped the advances made by Moroccan wingers Brahim Diaz and Ismail Saibari with two brilliant saves.
Morocco’s Ismail Saibari (right) vies with Netherlands’ Jan Paul van Hecke in a FIFA World Cup knockout match. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril
In the 19th minute, Morocco’s Neil El Ainaoui, who entered the box to receive a corner kick, fired a powerful header towards the top of the net, but Verbruggen blocked it. Moroka attacked again within two minutes. Ashraf Hakimi received the ball from just outside the box and hit the goal post. But Verbruggen became the savior of the Orange team this time as well. The ball was kicked and left for the corner. Before the end of the first half, Morocco goalkeeper Yassin Bono also stopped the Netherlands’ goal attempt. Netherlands’ Mickey van de Ven took a shot at goal from just outside the box, but Bono easily saved it. The score was 0–0 at the half-time whistle.
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