Morocco produced one of the most dramatic turnarounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, clawing back from the brink of elimination before defeating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties to secure a place in the Round of 16.
The North Africans appeared destined for an early exit after the Dutch finally broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute. Cody Gakpo calmly slotted home after being picked out by Crysencio Summerville, rewarding the Netherlands for their dominance in a fiercely contested encounter.
Despite struggling to carve out meaningful opportunities for most of the match, Morocco refused to surrender. Defender Ismael Diop, who had earlier been cautioned by the referee, emerged as the unlikely hero when he powered home a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser in the 90+1 minute from Chadi Talbi’s delivery, sending the contest into a nerve-racking penalty shootout.
The shootout began on a shaky note for Morocco as Nabil El Aynaoui failed to convert after Teun Koopmeiners had successfully dispatched the Netherlands’ opening kick. However, Justin Kluivert’s missed opportunity handed Morocco a lifeline.
Soufiane Rahimi restored parity from the spot before Wout Weghorst converted for the Dutch. Talbi then kept Morocco firmly in the contest, while Quinten Timber squandered his effort to leave the tie hanging in the balance.
Achraf Hakimi, fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, also failed to convert for Morocco, but the Netherlands were unable to capitalise after Summerville missed his penalty.
With everything resting on the final kick, Ibrahim Saibari held his nerve, burying the decisive penalty to hand Morocco a memorable 3-2 shootout victory and complete an astonishing comeback.
The victory underlined Morocco’s resilience and composure under immense pressure. After spending much of the second half chasing the game, they found a dramatic route back before keeping their cool from 12 yards.
For the Netherlands, the defeat marked a painful end to their World Cup campaign. Having controlled large spells of the match, their failure to put the contest beyond reach in normal time, coupled with costly misses in the shootout, ultimately proved decisive as Morocco marched into the last 16 with renewed belief.
