Morocco Upsets Netherlands in Dramatic World Cup 2026 Penalty Shootout

Morocco continued its remarkable run at the 2026 World Cup by eliminating the Netherlands in a tense penalty shootout on Tuesday, advancing to the round of 16. The match, held in the knockout stage, ended 1-1 after 120 minutes of play. The Netherlands took the lead in the 72nd minute when Cody Gakpo scored following a well-executed team move. However, Morocco equalized just three minutes before full time, with Issa Diop heading in a cross after Virgil van Dijk failed to clear the ball.

During extra time, Morocco remained the more dangerous side but neither team managed to score, leading to a decisive penalty shootout. Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a crucial save against Xavi Simons, and Ismail Saibari converted the final penalty to secure a 3-2 shootout victory for Morocco. This result marked one of the biggest surprises of the round of 32, as the Netherlands had topped their group and were considered one of the tournament's strongest teams.

Morocco, coached by Walid Regragui, has now advanced to face Canada in the round of 16, aiming to extend their impressive World Cup journey following their historic semifinal run in 2022. The Dutch exit at this early knockout stage is a significant disappointment for a team that had shown great promise in the group phase.