Morocco squeezed through to the World Cup round of 16 after prevailing in a dramatic penalty shoot-out against the Netherlands in Monterrey.
The game finished 1-1 after 120 minutes of largely Moroccan dominance and it was the 2022 semi-finalists that held their nerve to set up a clash with tournament co-hosts Canada in the next round.
The Dutch had played conservatively in extra-time and the African champions were deserving winners in a shoot-out in which they never led until Ismael Saibari slotted home the winning kick.
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville all missed for Oranje to leave Saibari the hero.
It had earlier looked like a poignant goal from Cody Gakpo was going to win it in normal time for the Netherlands.
Gakpo’s partner announced the loss of their unborn son at the weekend and the Liverpool forward collapsed to the turf in tears with his head in his hands after putting his side ahead with 18 minutes to go. He was quickly surrounded by his team-mates eager to show their support.
Morocco were not done, though, and Issa Diop, a central defender pressed forward in an act of desperation, headed home the leveller in injury-time to rescue his side.
Goalkeepers excel in goalless first half
The first period was notable for fine saves from goalkeepers Bart Verbruggen and Yassine Bounou.
The Dutch had the better of the opening 20 minutes but Morocco exploded into life shortly before the first hydration break with captain Achraf Hakimi, who was winning his 100th cap, prominent.
The Paris Saint-Germain full-back whipped in a right-sided corner that Neil El Aynaoui met on the full but his header was superbly tipped over by Brighton goalkeeper Verbruggen.
A minute later, Hakimi tried his luck from the edge of the area, forcing Verbruggen to palm his powerful effort over the bar.
The Dutch responded after 43 minutes with Micky Van de Ven striding forward and hammering in a piledriver of a shot that Bounou did well to tip over.
Morocco finished the first half in the ascendancy with Azzedine Ounahi shooting over and Saibari just failing to get on the end of Hakimi’s brilliant free-kick having escaped Van de Ven at the far post.
Morocco get on top as Netherlands fade
If the first half was tight, the second was anything but, for the first 25 minutes at least, as Morocco started to dominate, particularly in midfield with Ayyoub Bouaddi, Ounahi and El Aynaoui seeing plenty of the ball.
The tactic seemed to be to remain patient until they could clip a ball over the top for Hakimi.
They tried it six minutes after half-time when the PSG full-back burst clean through but, instead of squaring for Saibari, he went for goal and crashed his effort off the bar.
He was in the clear once again four minutes later but was denied by a magnificent covering tackle from Van de Ven, one of the few players that can match the Moroccan flyer for pace.
Koeman had seen enough and opted to make a couple of changes with Brian Brobbey and Nathan Ake coming off and the formation changing to 4-3-3.
The impact was immediate. Brobbey’s replacement Wout Weghorst’s first touch was to flick on a Verbruggen goal kick for Summerville and, despite being fouled, he managed to square the ball for Gakpo to fire past Bounou.
It looked like Morocco’s challenge had petered out but boss Mohamed Ouahbi also rolled the dice to great effect.
Chemsdine Talbi was brought on and the Sunderland winger set up the leveller in the first minute of time added on, whipping over a superb cross from the left that Diop met to power a header past Verbruggen.
There was still time for Summerville to race clear but a superb challenge from Noussair Mazraoui ensured the game went to extra time.
Netherlands goalkeeper Verbruggen keeps Morocco at bay
Talbi was proving a menace for the Dutch and another burst off the left nearly created a second goal five minutes into the extra period. He played the ball into substitute Soufiane Rahimi who chopped inside Virgil van Dijk but then fired his shot straight at Verbruggen who had spread himself well.
Morocco continued to probe but found space in behind the Dutch defence at a premium with Koeman content for his players to sit back and play for set-pieces.
In the end, the tactic did not work with the Netherlands now heading home.
