Morocco secured a spot in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands at Monterrey Stadium. The intense tactical battle ended 1-1 after 120 minutes, leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout that Morocco won 3-2 to extend their impressive World Cup journey.
The Netherlands initially took the lead with Cody Gakpo’s goal in the 72nd minute, making him the joint-second top goalscorer for the Dutch team in World Cup history with six goals. However, Morocco equalized in the 91st minute through central defender Issa Diop’s header from Chemsdine Talbi’s cross at the start of extra time.
Despite a captivating 120-minute match filled with twists and turns, neither team managed to secure a victory in regulation or extra time, leading to a penalty shootout for the second consecutive game. The shootout saw both teams missing crucial penalties before Morocco’s Yassine Bounou emerged as the hero, saving Crysencio Summerville’s shot and securing victory with Ismael Saibari’s successful penalty.
Morocco’s win sets up a Round of 16 encounter with World Cup co-hosts Canada in Houston on July 5.
