Netherlands v Morocco – World Cup result as AFCON champions reach last 16 after dramatic penalty shoot-out

Morocco battled their way through to the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dramatic Round of 32 clash with Netherlands in Monterrey, Mexico.

A scrappy and at-times bad-tempered first half saw chances at a premium in an opening 45 minutes that featured plenty of robust challenges, and a little too much of referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio's whistle. But when the two teams emerged for the second half, the match sprung into life.

After a prolonged period of Moroccan pressure that saw skipper Achraf Hakimi hit the crossbar, the Dutch broke forward, and Crysencio Summerville and Wout Weghorst combined to set up Cody Gakpo, who slammed the ball into the net to put Netherlands 1-0 up on 72 minutes. It was an emotional moment for Gakpo, who earlier in the week had shared the news that his unborn son had passed away during his partner's pregnancy.

Morocco continued to push forward, and eventually got their reward in stoppage time when Issa Diop rose highest to head home substitute Chemsdine Talbi's cross and send the match into extra time.

After a breathless second half, tiring legs saw the pace slow during the 30 minutes of extra time, with neither side able to make the breakthrough. It meant the match would be decided via spot-kicks, and the tension cranked up to new levels as the momentum swung back and forth during a topsy-turvy penalty shoot-out.

After Teun Koopmeiners fired the Dutch ahead, Neil El Aynaoui hit the crossbar with Morocco's first spot-kick. But the Oranje were not able to capitalise as Justin Kluivert hit the post with the next penalty.

Then there was another twist when Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen appeared to save Soufiane Rahimi's effort, only for the ball to squirm out from underneath him and into the net.

Weghorst and Talbi both buried their respective spot-kicks before three successive penalties were missed. First, Quinten Timber dragged his spot-kick wide, then Achraf Hakimi's penalty rebounded back off the post.

It meant the shoot-out would be decided by each side's fifth penalty, and after Summerville's effort was saved by Yassine Bounou, Ismael Saibari stepped up and scored to send Morocco through to the last 16.

It means that Morocco now progress to the last 16, where they will take on co-hosts Canada in Houston on Saturday.

PENALTY SCORED - NETHERLANDS 2-3 MOROCCO
Saibari steps up and slots low to the keeper's right and into the bottom corner and Morocco are through. Wow.

PENALTY MISSED - NETHERLANDS 2-2 MOROCCO
Summerville smashes high and Bono stands up and gets a hand up and pushes it out.

PENALTY MISSED - NETHERLANDS 2-2 MOROCCO
Hakimi smashes hard and against the post. What is going on?

PENALTY MISSED - NETHERLANDS 2-2 MOROCCO
Timber drags his shot wide and holds his head in his hands. A shocker

PENALTY SCORED - NETHERLANDS 2-2 MOROCCO
Talbi with a cracker into the top corner.

PENALTY SCORED - NETHERLANDS 2-1 MOROCCO
Weghorst with a beauty. The big man goes high and with power and finds the top corner.

PENALTY SCORED - NETHERLANDS 1-1 MOROCCO
Drama as Verbruggen saves from Rahimi but the ball then squirms under his body and over the line.

PENALTY MISSED - NETHERLANDS 1-0 MOROCCO
Kluivert sends the keeper the wrong way but hits the post.

PENALTY MISSED - NETHERLANDS 1-0 MOROCCO
El Aynaoui goes high and strikes the bar and misses.

PENALTY SCORED - NETHERLANDS 1-0 MOROCCO
Koopmeiners with a beauty, low into the corner and the Dutch are ahead.

VVD wins both coin tosses so the pens will be in front of the Dutch fans and the Oranje will go first.

That's it and we are going all the way to penalties for the second time today. Strap yourselves in.

The West Ham man has put in a stunning shift. He tries to make a break but is bundled over and looks in pain. The referee eventually stops play for treatment and he does get to his feet.

Gakpo's race is run. He goes down with what appears to be cramp and is replaced by Justin Kluivert.

A superb move from Morocco sees substitutes combine as Talbi finds Rahimi with time and space in front of goal, but despite the Morocco number nine picking his spot and striking his shot well, Verbruggen stands big and somehow manages to make the save.

It's an incredible save, and it's kept the Dutch level.

Will Morocco live to regret that miss?

We're off and underway in the first half of extra time...

After an excellent second half, it finishes all square after normal time. So we're all set for extra time, with penalties lying in wait if the two teams still can't be separated after extra time.

Here's everything you need to know.

Unreal scenes in Monterrey as Morocco dramatically find an equaliser in stoppage time.

Issa Diop is the man who got it, rising highest to plant a header past Verbruggen from Talbi's superb cross.

It's no less than Morocco deserve for their second half performance, and we're all square with just five minutes of stoppage time to go!