Morocco's Dramatic Penalty Shootout Victory Knocks Out Netherlands in Round of 32
The thrilling knockout stage continued with major upsets, as Morocco advanced to the Round of 16, with more crucial matches scheduled for today.
The story
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 delivered another gripping encounter on June 29 as Morocco edged past the Netherlands in a dramatic penalty shootout at Monterrey Stadium. The Dutch initially took the lead through Cody Gakpo's goal in the 72nd minute, just two days after the emotional news of his unborn son's loss [9, 13].
However, Morocco rallied, with substitute Issa Diop finding a dramatic equalizer in the first minute of stoppage time to force extra time [9, 13]. With neither side able to break the deadlock in extra time, the match proceeded to penalties.
Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as the hero, making a crucial save from Crysencio Summerville, before Ismael Saibari converted the decisive spot-kick to seal a 3-2 shootout victory [9, 13]. This hard-fought win sends Morocco into the Round of 16, where they are set to face co-hosts Canada [9].
Yesterday's results
| Match | Score | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil vs Japan | 2-1 | Gabriel Martinelli's 95th-minute winner in Houston [7] |
| Germany vs Paraguay | 1-1 (Paraguay wins 4-3 on penalties) | Paraguay caused a major upset by winning the shootout in Foxborough [5, 1] |
| Netherlands vs Morocco | 1-1 (Morocco wins 3-2 on penalties) | Morocco advanced after Yassine Bounou's heroics and Ismael Saibari's decisive penalty in Monterrey [9, 13] |
Where it stands
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 continued to deliver upsets and drama. Following their hard-fought victories, Brazil, Paraguay, and Morocco have all secured their places in the Round of 16.
These teams join co-hosts Canada, who advanced earlier, in the next stage of the tournament [16, 13, 7, 5]. The knockout bracket is steadily forming, with the remaining Round of 32 fixtures set to determine who else will progress.
The competition intensifies as teams battle for a spot in the quarter-finals, with every match now a do-or-die encounter. The group stage is fully concluded, and the focus is entirely on the single-elimination format [19, 24].
What we'll be watching
- Ivory Coast vs Norway (Round of 32) – June 30, Dallas Stadium (1 p.m. ET) [30]
- France vs Sweden (Round of 32) – June 30, New York/New Jersey Stadium (5 p.m. ET) [30]
- Mexico vs Ecuador (Round of 32) – June 30, Mexico City Stadium (9 p.m. ET) [30]
- England vs DR Congo (Round of 32) – July 1, Atlanta Stadium (12 p.m. ET) [30]
- Belgium vs Senegal (Round of 32) – July 1, Seattle Stadium (4 p.m. ET) [30]
- USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (Round of 32) – July 1, San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (8 p.m. ET) [30]
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.