Morocco ousts Netherlands on penalties to reach World Cup round of 16

Ismael Saibari drove home Morocco’s last penalty, a right-footed finish across the goalkeeper, and sealed a 3-2 shootout win over the Netherlands that sent the Atlas Lions into the World Cup round of 16 against Canada. The knockout match at Estadio Monterrey in Monterrey ended 1-1 after 90 minutes before Morocco held its nerve in the decisive spot-kick sequence.

The Dutch had broken through in the 72nd minute when Cody Gakpo scored, putting Morocco under immediate pressure in a game that had already carried unusual emotion for the Netherlands forward. Gakpo marked the match only two days after announcing the loss of his unborn child, adding another layer of strain to an already tense elimination contest. Morocco found its answer in stoppage time, when Issa struck in the 90+1 minute to drag the match into penalties and erase the lead that had put the Dutch in control.

The shootout turned on composure, and Saibari provided the final blow. The PSV midfielder had already become one of Morocco’s most reliable attacking outlets in the group stage, scoring against Scotland. FIFA said that made him the first Moroccan to score in consecutive World Cup matches, a small statistical marker that now sits beside a far bigger one: the penalty that sent Morocco through. In a game decided by fine margins, Morocco converted three penalties to the Netherlands’ two.

The result extended Morocco’s best World Cup cycle. In Qatar 2022, Morocco became the first African team to reach the semifinals, and that run still stands as the continent’s best finish in the tournament’s history. This World Cup, the 23rd edition, is the first with 48 teams and 104 matches spread across Canada, Mexico and the United States, and Morocco’s latest escape has again pushed the conversation toward a side that keeps outlasting bigger names when the pressure rises most.