06/30/26 01:52:00
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06/30 01:47 CDT Saibari's shootout winner sends Morocco past the Netherlands,
earliest World Cup exit for the Dutch
Saibari's shootout winner sends Morocco past the Netherlands, earliest World
Cup exit for the Dutch
By ETHAN WILCOX
Associated Press
GUADALUPE, Mexico (AP) --- Ismael Saibari scored the decisive goal in a penalty
shootout, and Morocco sent the Netherlands to its earliest World Cup exit,
eliminating the Dutch 3-2 after a 1-1 draw on Monday night.
With the shootout tied at 2-all after four rounds, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine
Bounou made a strong save of Crysencio Summerville's attempt, batting it away
with his left hand. Saibari then sent the winner into the low left corner as
goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen went the other direction. The midfielder tore off
his shirt and screamed with joy as he was mobbed by teammates.
Earlier in the shootout with Morocco trailing 1-0, Verbruggen appeared to have
stopped an attempt by Soufiane Rahimi, but the goalkeeper couldn't secure the
ball and deflected it over the line with the back of his leg.
"We know when we do everything on the pitch, it's God that gives something back
to us as well," Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi said. "We give all the energy
that we have on the field. Rahimi's goal could have not been a goal, but it
went in thankfully."
The Netherlands had reached at least the Round of 16 in 11 previous World Cups,
including a quarterfinal appearance four years ago in Qatar, when Morocco made
a breakthrough run to become the first team from Africa to reach the
semifinals. In this year's expanded tournament, 32 teams reached the knockout
stage for the first time.
Morocco moves on to face co-host Canada in the Round of 16 on Saturday in
Houston. The Atlas Lions previously beat Canada 2-1 in the group stage of the
2022 World Cup.
Morocco was on the front-foot for major stretches of the game Monday. The
Netherlands instead focused on counterattacking.
"I think Morocco has gained everybody's respect now," said Ouahbi, who took
over as head coach in March. "I saw (the Netherlands' style of play) as a form
of respect."
Cody Gakpo scored in the 72nd minute for Netherlands. After the goal, which was
assisted by Summerville, the Dutch bench ran onto the field to embrace the
27-year-old Gakpo, who broke down in tears. Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der
Bij, recently announced that they lost their unborn child.
Morocco's Issa Diop tied it in the 91st. Chemsdine Talbi sent a looping cross
into the box from about 28 yards out on the left side and connected with Diop
for a clean header that Verbruggen had no chance to stop.
Neither team had a strong scoring opportunity in 30 minutes of extra time at
Estadio BBVA.
In the second half of extra time, Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman used one
of his substitutions to bring on Justin Kluivert. Kluivert was one of three
Dutch players to miss his penalty.
"The last substitution I made was to bring in Justin (Kluivert) because he's
one of the best at penalty shootouts," Koeman said. "But he missed his penalty
and that's even more bitter for him and for us."
It was the third consecutive time the Netherlands has been eliminated from the
World Cup in a penalty shootout.
It was the second game of this tournament to conclude with a shootout. Paraguay
beat Germany on penalties earlier Monday.
The teams entered with the highest combined ranking of any Round of 32 match.
Morocco was sixth in the world and the Netherlands was seventh.
"We need to be telling ourselves that no one can stop us," Ouahbi said. "Nobody
is unbeatable. If we get things wrong, we'll go home."
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Ethan Wilcox is a student in the University of Georgia's Carmical Sports Media
Institute.
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See more of AP's World Cup coverage here
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