MOROCCO defeated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to advance to the last 16 of the World Cup on Monday after a thrilling battle in Monterrey finished 1-1 after extra-time.
News Point Nigeria Sport reMorocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made the crucial save to block the Netherlands’ fourth penalty from Crysencio Summerville before striker Ismael Saibari stepped up to blast home the winning spot-kick that sealed a 3-2 shootout win.
Morocco dominated much of the game but were thwarted by inspired goalkeeping from Bart Verbruggen and the woodwork before Gakpo, who had announced the loss of his unborn son on Saturday, smashed home 18 minutes from time after a lightning break.
But in a grandstand finish, Issa Diop thumped home a stoppage-time header, sending the game to extra-time and ultimately penalties, where the Dutch missed three spot-kicks allowing Ismail Saibari to seal a 3-2 win and book a date with Canada in Houston on Saturday (18:00 BST).
Liverpool forward Gakpo had chosen to remain with the squad despite grieving his loss, and started for the Dutch as coach Ronald Koeman switched to a back five for the first time in 32 matches.
The opening stages were intense and physical with running battles between Ismail Saibari and Jan Paul van Hecke at one end, and Brian Brobbey and Chadi Riad at the other, with Riad requiring a new shirt after one tussle with the Netherlands and Sunderland forward.
Morocco grew into the game and on 20 minutes a near-post corner from Achraf Hakimi – winning his 100th cap – was headed on by Neil El Aynaoui, only for Brighton’s Verbruggen to produce a point-blank save and he was tested again by Hakimi’s rasping strike from the edge of the area soon after, though the hydration break stalled their momentum.
Micky van de Ven saw a rising strike from distance turned over by Yassine Bounou – his side’s first shot in 37 minutes – but Hakimi’s bouncing free-kick from the right somehow evaded Saibari at the far post just before the interval.
In the second half, Hakimi latched onto Azzedine Ounahi’s through ball and thundered a strike off the face of the bar from an acute angle before Van de Ven produced a superb last-ditch tackle in the box as the Morocco skipper shaped to shoot.
The pressure intensified as Verbruggen blocked an inswinging corner from Hakimi on the line at his near post, but on 71 minutes Wout Weghorst replaced Brobbey and the Dutch reverted to a back-four.
Just 51 seconds later Weghorst flicked a long ball from Verbruggen into the path of Crysencio Summerville who burst into the box and managed to hook the ball to Gakpo to fire past Bounou and spark emotional scenes as he was mobbed by his team-mates.
Morocco resumed their push for a goal but it took until the opening seconds of added time to arrive as Diop met a curling cross from Chemsdine Taldi on the left with a powerful header past Verbruggen.
In the final seconds of additional time, Noussair Mazraoui made a last-ditch tackle to deny Summerville as he burst through on goal trying to win it.
As extra time began, Verbruggen thwarted Soufiane Rahimi with one of the saves of the tournament after the Morocco substitute jinked his way through but neither side could prevent the game being settled by spot-kicks.
Teun Koopmeiners put the Netherlands ahead before El Aynaoui thumped the crossbar.
Justin Kluivert hit the base of the post before Rahimi’s spot-kick squirmed through the grasp of Verbruggen to make it 1-1.
Weghorst found the top corner, followed by Talbi going the opposite side but Quinten Timber dragged a tame effort well wide.
However, Hakimi failed to make him pay as he smashed into the base of the same upright as Kluivert.
Summerville was then denied by a strong hand from Bounou, moving to his right allowing Ismail Saibari to send Verbruggen the wrong way, find the bottom corner and break Dutch hearts.