GUADALUPE, Mexico, June 30: Morocco kept its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign alive with a dramatic 3-2 penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands after the teams finished level at 1-1 following extra time in a gripping Round of 32 match on Monday (local time).
After a tightly contested first half with few clear scoring opportunities, the breakthrough came in the 72nd minute. Crysencio Summerville delivered a well-weighted pass to Cody Gakpo, who calmly finished to give the Netherlands a 1-0 lead.
The goal carried deep personal significance for Gakpo. The Dutch forward was overcome with emotion after scoring, breaking down in tears as teammates and members of the Netherlands bench rushed onto the field to embrace him. Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, had recently announced the loss of their unborn child.
The Netherlands appeared poised to advance until Morocco mounted a dramatic comeback in stoppage time. In the 91st minute, Chemsdine Talbi sent a teasing cross into the penalty area, where Issa Diop rose above the defense to head home the equalizer, silencing the Dutch supporters.
The late goal shifted the momentum in Morocco’s favor, but neither team managed to find a winner during the 30 minutes of extra time. Strong defensive performances on both sides forced the match into a penalty shootout.
The shootout proved equally tense, with both teams missing two penalties. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou once again showcased his penalty-saving ability, diving the right way to deny Crysencio Summerville.
With the score tied, 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 match was one of the highest-quality contests of the Round of 32, with Morocco entering the tournament ranked sixth in the FIFA World Rankings and the Netherlands seventh. It was also only the second match of the tournament to be decided by a penalty shootout, following Paraguay’s victory over Germany earlier on Monday.
Morocco will now face Canada in the first Round of 16 match at NRG Stadium on Saturday (local time) as it continues its impressive FIFA World Cup campaign. (ANI)
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