MONTERREY, Mexico — The Netherlands have done it again. And by “it,” we mean finding a new and excruciating way to crash out of a World Cup on penalties. For the third consecutive tournament appearance, the Oranje’s campaign ended from 12 yards, as Morocco triumphed 3-2 in a chaotic shootout following a 1-1 draw at Estadio BBVA.
Let’s be honest — if you’re a Filipino football fan who stayed up late to watch this one, you got your money’s worth. This was pure World Cup drama, the kind of match that reminds you why we love this sport even when our own Azkals aren’t on the biggest stage.
Cody Gakpo thought he had written the script. The Dutch forward, who has been nothing short of sensational in this tournament, fired home in the 72nd minute after a clever assist from Crysencio Summerville. The tears streaming down his face as he celebrated told you everything — this was a man who believed he had just sent his country into the last 16. For 19 minutes, that belief held.
Then came stoppage time. Chemsdine Talbi, a second-half substitute, curled in a cross from the left. Issa Diop, the towering centre-back, rose above the Dutch defense and thumped a header into the net. 90+1 minutes on the clock. 1-1. The Moroccan bench emptied onto the pitch. The Dutch players stood frozen, hands on hips, staring into the Monterrey night sky.
What followed was a penalty shootout that defied belief. Five of the ten spot-kicks were missed. Teun Koopmeiners scored for the Netherlands, but Justin Kluivert — carrying the weight of a famous football surname — hit the post. Quinten Timber fired wide. And when Crysencio Summerville stepped up with the shootout at 2-2, Yassine Bounou guessed right and palmed his effort away.
Morocco had their own drama. Neil El Aynaoui smashed the bar with the first kick. Achraf Hakimi, the captain and arguably the best right-back in world football, struck the post in the fourth round when a goal would have sealed it. But Ismael Saibari, the attacking midfielder who lit up the group stage, kept his nerve. His decisive penalty sent Morocco through and sent the Netherlands home.
The tactical story is one Ronald Koeman will not want to revisit. The Dutch manager abandoned the 4-3-3 that had produced ten goals in the group stage, switching to a back five for the first time since March 2024. The result? Six shots in 120 minutes. 0.23 expected goals. A team built to attack was reduced to hoping for penalties — and we all know how that ends for the Netherlands.
Morocco, by contrast, were everything you want a knockout team to be: organized, brave, and absolutely relentless. They created five big chances. Neil El Aynaoui completed 134 passes. Hakimi hit the crossbar, bombed forward at every opportunity, and led by example even when his penalty went awry. This is a team that reached the semi-finals in 2022 and looks every bit capable of another deep run.
For Filipino fans, there’s a lesson here about the beautiful cruelty of this sport. We know what it means to dream, to hope, to believe — and we also know what it means to have those dreams crushed. The Netherlands have now lost three consecutive World Cup penalty shootouts. They are the “un-crowned kings” of football, and this crown feels heavier than ever.
Morocco will face Canada in Houston on July 4. The Atlas Lions are the first African team to reach the Round of 16 in this tournament, and they are not done yet. If you’re looking for a team to support now that the group stage is behind us, you could do a lot worse than this Moroccan side. They play with heart, with skill, and with the kind of joy that makes the World Cup special.
