Netherlands 1-1 Morocco (2-3 P): Shootout drama sends Morocco to last 16 | OneFootball

Morocco sent the Netherlands home after a 1-1 draw led to a 3-2 victory in a tense penalty shootout, advancing to the round of 16, where co-hosts Canada awaits the North African nation.

Cody Gakpo scored first after Crysencio Summerville sprinted through on goal before managing to get the ball over to the Liverpool forward in the box to convert.

With time running out, Issa Diop ditched his defensive duties to attack the box and was rewarded as his bullet header rocketed past Verbruggen to equalise late in normal time.

After the game couldn’t be decided in extra time, an eventful penalty shootout occurred where, after misses across both nations, it was Summerville’s failed penalty that then lead to Ismael Saibari scoring the winning spot-kick to keep Morocco’s World Cup dream alive.

As it happened

Bart Vebrurggen was called to action in quick succession; Achraf Hakimi was involved first through his whipped corner for Neil El Aynaoui’s header straight to the Dutch goalkeeper to tip over the bar, and then the Moroccan captain full-back tried his fortunes from outside the box with a blazed shot, saved audaciously.

A real struggle for the Netherlands to produce any clear-cut chances from open play led to Micky Van de Ven shooting from range for Yassine Bounou to be alert with a strong hand directing the ball away from danger.

On the stroke of half-time, Hakimi produced a wonderful set-piece which was primed for Saibari to tap in but the PSV Eindhoven forward misjudged the bounce of the ball, making no contact as the chance faded away.

Morocco continued to dominate the Oranje relentlessly as Azzedine Ounahi plays Hakimi in with a good opportunity to square it across the six-yard box, but instead shoots from a tight angle, which rattles the crossbar.

The adventurous right back had another great opportunity as it’s the same duo combining, the Girona midfielder finding him with a weighted through ball behind the Dutch line of defence, but van de Ven goes stride for stride to get the crucial block to smother the shot, the ball trickling into Verbruggen’s hands.

After suffering through attack after attack, the Netherlands took their chance as a long ball to substitute Wout Weghorst is flicked into Summerville’s direction to run through on goal, trips over, but the ball finds it’s way to Gakpo in the box as he fired past Bounou.

An emotional celebration for the Liverpool forward on the verge of tears due to a difficult week for his family, as the whole Netherlands squad crowded around him in support and appreciation for the crucial goal.

Morocco suffered a difficult setback, which would’ve felt the goal came against the run of play, but they didn’t cave in as they still believed they were in the tie, and had performed to a very good level against the European nation.

As the 90th minute approached, Issa Diop climbed tallest with a clutch late goal in the box through a bullet header the 23-year-old goalkeeper had no chance of saving, courtesy of a fantastic cross from impactful substitute Chemsdine Talbi.

Direct winger Summerville had a chance to end the game in normal time, but Mazraoui’s fantastic defensive block denied him his chance.

In extra time, Soufiane Rahimi was on the verge of scoring a fantastic goal, receiving the ball from Saibari and calmly faking his shot past Koopmeiners, but it was Verbruggen with the audacious save, making himself a big presence as the ball deflected off him from close range.

For the second time in the tournament, penalties were the decider. Morocco faltered early as El Aynaoui smashed the bar, but Kluivert followed up to hit the post before Rahimi equalised the tense shootout.

It was agony for Quinten Timber as his right-footed penalty rolls wide of the post, and then Morocco’s captain also fails to convert as his penalty bounces off the post.

The trend of failed penalties continued as Summerville’s penalty was the crucial one that was denied by Bounou to platform Morocco’s victory.

Ismael Saibari steps up and coolly slots his deciding penalty in the bottom left corner to send Morocco through to the round of 16 to face off against co-hosts Canada.

Penalties

Netherlands: T. Koopmeiners ✓ J. Kluivert ✗ Wout Weghorst ✓ Quinten Timber ✗ Crysencio Summerville ✗

Morocco: N. El Aynaoui ✗ Soufiane Rahimi ✓ Chemsdine Talbi ✓ Achraf Hakimi ✗ Ismael Saibari ✓

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