Netherlands (2)1-1(3) Morocco - 2026 World Cup Match Report and Player Ratings

Netherlands (2) 1-1 (3) Morocco As It Happened

The magnitude of the game for both was apparent in the early stages, with the feeling-out process lasting long beyond what can be considered the 'opening exchanges'.

Fifteen minutes in and neither side was privy to a sight of goal; in fact, neither mustered almost any possession in the opposition's half at all.

The Netherlands clearly had a game plan, though, which involved going long. That gave them their first chance in the 16th minute, but Summerville's run was ultimately called offside after he fluffed the chance to tuck the ball away.

Chadi Riad and Brian Brobbey was the early match-up to watch, with the Crystal Palace defender showing the Sunderland forward he wanted every bit of the battle on a couple of occasions, but still the game remained dormant.

Morocco's first two chances of the game saw Bart Verbruggen pull off two very good saves in quick succession. The Brighton goalkeeper reacting quickly to a close-range El Aynaoui header and a long-range Achraf Hakimi strike to keep the score level.

Despite Van de Ven not playing in a natural position at wing-back, he was the man who provided the Netherlands with their first shot on goal. The Spurs man unleashed a rocket of a strike that saw Yacine Bounou troubled but safe in parrying the ball up and over the bar.

Morocco returned to the chance vending machine just before the break, but despite Hakimi punching the numbers in with an excellent ball, Saibari was unable to convert the assist into a 1-0 flavoured snack as his card declined at the final moment and he agonisingly missed the ball at the back post.

Half-time: Netherlands 0-0 Morocco

It was the African side who began the second period on the front foot, with the luminous Orange of The Netherlands in panic mode as a couple of early chances were fired toward Verbruggen's goal.

In the 55th minute Achraf Hakimi found himself through on goal, only to be thwarted by a heroic Van de Ven tackle just as he looked to pull the trigger, but it was a sign of just how much the Europeans were struggling.

That period of presure refused to let up, although Koeman's men proved their threat on a couple of occasions, namely through livewire Summerville, as has been the case all tournament.

The Netherlands immediately made Morocco's lack of cutting edge matter after the hydation break. The brought on Weghorst flicked on a long-ball, Summerville raced onto it and scuffed a pass across to the waiting Gakpo who fired home in an exceptional moment for the Liverpool man after a diffcult personal week. 1-0 after 79 minutes.

It was a rather quiet affair from then on, that was until the 91st minute. Subsitute Chemstine Talbi whipped a ball into the box right onto the head of the waiting Issa Diop. The recently declared Moroccan guiided the ball into the net to send the second game of the night to extra time.

Full time: Netherlands 1-1 Morocco

Morocco were the benefittors of a huge chance early into extra time, but Bart Verbruggen pulled off a world class save after Rahimi cut inside brilliantly and fired at goal to keep the score level.

That was the only real chance of the first period, with both sides very much looking to make sure they didn't do anything stupid and lose the game.

**Half time in extra time: Netherlands 1-1 Morocco

The second period might as well have not happened to be honest, take that from a man who stayed up until five to cover the game.... Penalties felt inevtiable from the moment the final whistle blew after 90 minutes, and that is exactly what we got.

Full time in extra time Netherlands 1-1 Morocco

Koopmeiners scored in excellent fashion into the bottom right corner. El Aynaoui saw his spot kick ricochet agonisingly off the bar and high into the crowd. 1-0 Netherlands after one each.

Subsitute Justin Kluivert was next for the Dutch, missing his off the left post, failing to capitalise on Morocco's previous miss. Bart Verbruggen was equal to Rahimi's penalty, but saw the ball squirm through his legs and into the net. 1-1 through two each.

Weghorst put the Dutch 2-1 up with an emphatic finish. Talbi followed suit with an equally impressive penalty. 2-2 through three each.

Quentin Timber cme next but could only drag his kick horrendously wide of the left post. Morocco had a chance to go ahead for the first time with captain Hakimi, but his penalty was missed off the post.

Clearly nobody wanted to win the game as Summerville then saw his saved by Bounou.

Saibari stepped up with the chance to win it for the African Champions and fired home as cool as you like to end a marathon World cup tie.

Agony for The Netherlands, jubilation for Morocco. A game that could have gone either way ends in simultaneously the most cruel and most joyous of ways.

Netherlands player ratings

Verbruggen - 7

van Hecke - 6 van Dijk - 5 Ake - 6

Dumfries - 4 Gravenberch - 6 de Jong - 7 Van de Ven - 5

Summerville - 8 Brobbey - 6 Gakpo - 8

Subsitutes

Weghorst (71') - 8 Koopmeiners (71') - 5 Timber (86') - 6 Hato (86') - 5

Morocco player ratings

Bounou - 5

Hakimi - 6 Diop - 6 Riad - 6 Mazraoui - 6

Bouaddi - 7 El Aynaoui - 6 Ounahi - 6

Diaz - 4 Saibari - 6 El Khannouss - 5

Substitutes

Salah-Eddine (75') - 5 El Mourabet (79') - 4 Yassine (79') - 6 Talbi (86') - 8 Rahimi (86') - 5

Man of the Match: Crysencio Summerville

Yes, I'm well aware he missed his spot kick, which may put him out of the picture for many - but for me, he was still the best player on the pitch in a game where attacking prowess was few and far between.

Summerville was a thorn in the side of the Moroccan's throughout the game, despite his side barely having any possession beyond the first half of normal time.

Jinking runs, fouls won, gorund covered, Summerville was literally everywhere and was well deserving of securing (my) man of the match here for what it's worth.