Morocco advanced to the round of 16 of the World Cup after winning the penalty shootout against the Netherlands in Monterrey.
The match ended 1-1 after 120 minutes of Moroccan dominance and it was the 2022 semi-finalists who held on to face tournament hosts Canada in the next round.
The Dutch played hard in extra time and the African champions were deserved winners in shootouts who never took the lead until Ismael Saibari slotted home the winner.
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville all missed out for Oranje to leave Saibari the hero.
Previously, it looked like Cody Gakpo’s painful goal would win the game in normal time for the Netherlands.
Gakpo’s team-mate announced the loss of their unborn son at the weekend and the Liverpool striker fell to the ground crying with his head in his hands after putting his side ahead with 18 minutes remaining. He was soon surrounded by teammates eager to show their support.
Morocco were not finished, with Issa Diop, a defender who persevered in a desperate act, heading home a stoppage-time equalizer to rescue his side.
The goalkeepers did well in a goalless first half
The first half was highlighted by saves from goalkeepers Bart Verbruggen and Yassine Bounou.
The Dutch had the better of the first 20 minutes but Morocco burst into life just before the first hydration break with captain Achraf Hakimi, who was winning his 100th cap, outstanding.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender struck a corner from the right where Neil El Aynaoui met full force but his header was well saved by Brighton goalkeeper Verbruggen.
A minute later, Hakimi tried his luck on the edge of the area, forcing Verbruggen to curl his powerful effort over the bar.
The Dutch responded after 43 minutes with Micky Van de Ven going forward and hitting a volley of shots which Bounou did well to parry.
Morocco finished the first half in the lead with Azzedine Ounahi shooting high and Saibari just missed Hakimi’s free-kick that eluded Van de Ven at the far post.
Morocco dominates as the Netherlands falters
If the first half was strong, the second wasn’t easy, in the first 25 minutes at least, as Morocco started to dominate, especially in midfield Ayyoub Bouaddi, Ounahi and El Aynaoui saw a lot of the ball.
The trick seemed to be to be patient until they were able to cut the ball up to Hakimi.
They did try six minutes after the break when the PSG defender shot high but, instead of fighting for Saibari, he went to goal and hit his line off the post.
Four minutes later he was in the clear again but was denied by Van de Ven, one of the few players who couldn’t keep up with the Moroccan flyer.
Koeman had seen enough and opted to make a few changes with Brian Brobbey and Nathan Ake coming off and the formation changing to a 4-3-3.
The impact was immediate. Brobbey’s replacement Wout Weghorst’s first touch was on Verbruggen’s goal for Summerville and, despite a poor play, he managed to square the ball for Gakpo to fire past Bounou.
It looked like Morocco’s challenge was over but coach Mohamed Ouahbi also rolled the dice and it was a success.
Chemsdine Talbi was brought on and the Sunderland winger leveled in the first minute of added time, whipping in a superb cross from the left which Diop met to power a header past Verbruggen.
There was still time for Summerville to run clear but a good challenge from Noussair Mazraoui ensured the game went to extra time.
Netherlands goalkeeper Verbruggen makes a save against Morocco
Talbi was showing a threat to the Dutch and another shot from the left almost created a second goal five minutes into extra time. He played the ball in place of Soufiane Rahimi who cut inside Virgil van Dijk but shot straight at Verbruggen who was spreading himself well.
Morocco continued to probe but found space after the Dutch defense with Koeman content for his players to sit back and play set-pieces.
In the end, this strategy didn’t work with the Netherlands now heading home.
