World Cup: Morocco Ousts Netherlands, Paraguay Eliminates Germany, Brazil Survives in the Last Moments

Published 30 June 2026

Reading time: 4 minutes

The Moroccan national team, fourth-place finishers in the last edition in Qatar 2022, ousted their Dutch counterparts and reached the round of 16 by defeating them 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time in the Mexican city of Monterrey in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup held in North America.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved the fifth penalty from Crysencio Summerville, before Ismael Saibari successfully converted the final kick, announcing the victory of the 'Atlas Lions'.

Morocco turned the tables on the Netherlands twice; first when the 'Oranje' took the lead through a goal by English Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo (72nd minute), where English Fulham defender Issa Diop equalized for the Atlas Lions with a header in the first minute of stoppage time, and the second time in the penalty shootout, when Nail El Aynawi missed the first kick, before Morocco settled it in their favor and set up a meeting next Saturday in Houston with Canada, who qualified by beating South Africa 1-0.

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Morocco avenged their loss to the Netherlands, who defeated them in their only previous World Cup meeting in the group stage in 1994 in Orlando, USA, and set up a date with Canada, whom they surpassed in the third round of the group stage in the Qatar World Cup on their way to achieving their unprecedented feat.

Morocco followed the same path, as the draw at that time placed them against Spain in the round of 16 and they overcame them on penalties as well before defeating Portugal in the quarterfinals and then losing to France in the semifinals.

This is the third time they have reached the round of 16 in their seventh World Cup appearance, after 1986 and 2022.

Morocco deserved the win because they were the better and more dangerous side in both regular and extra time, while the Netherlands settled for managing the game to reach penalties, which they succeeded in, but they failed in the shootout after scoring only two kicks through substitutes Ton Koopmeiners and Wout Weghorst, while Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Crysencio Summerville missed.

In contrast, for Morocco, Soufiane Rahimi, Chamseddine Talbi, and Ismael Saibari scored, while El Aynawi and captain Achraf Hakimi missed.

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With this result, Morocco joined Paraguay and Brazil in the round of 16.

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Before Morocco's match with the Netherlands, the Paraguayan team sprang the biggest surprise of the 2026 World Cup by eliminating their German counterparts, one of the favorites to win the title and four-time world champions, on penalties 4-3 after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough/Boston, USA, in the round of 32.

Julio Enciso opened the scoring for Paraguay (42nd minute) and Kai Havertz equalized for the Germans, who were better in the match (54').

In the penalty shootout, from the German side, Havertz, substitute Nico Voltmer, and Jonathan Tah missed, amid the brilliance of goalkeeper Orlando Gill, while from the other side, substitutes Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena missed.

This is considered Germany's first defeat on penalties in its World Cup appearances, after previously succeeding four times through them. Notably, Germany is the team that has played the most extra time periods in World Cup history with 12, compared to 11 for Argentina and Italy, and 10 for England.

Goalkeeper Gill, Man of the Match, said: 'An incredible feeling. It was a tough match. We managed to hold on. We opened the scoring, then they equalized, but we succeeded in staying composed. Of course, we analyzed the performance of each player and every detail regarding the penalty takers.' He added: 'We eliminated a champion. I dedicate this achievement to all the people of Paraguay.'

In contrast, German coach Julian Nagelsmann said: 'We needed speed, our players were not fast enough... We didn't give enough today.'

In response to a question about whether he wants to continue in his position, he answered: 'Yes, I want to continue.'

Paraguay qualified for the next round where they will face either France, favorites to win the title, or Sweden in the round of 16.

Hard-fought victory for Brazil

Brazil also overturned a deficit against Japan to defeat them 2-1 thanks to a goal scored by Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage time, also in the round of 32.

Brazil's performance improved after the break, after Japan took an early lead and limited the danger of Brazil's attack, the five-time champions, for most of the first half. Brazil will face Norway or Ivory Coast in New Jersey on Sunday.

Martinelli's decisive goal came in the fifth minute of stoppage time at the end of a heated match, making it the latest winning goal in regular time of a World Cup knockout stage match since 1966.

Brazilian players and coaching staff embraced on the field after the match, while the Japanese players watched in a state of shock.

Martinelli said: 'I can't describe my feeling. I won't really process it until later... I'm very happy for the team that gave its all. I can't find the words.'

This result denied Japan their first-ever victory in a World Cup knockout stage, and Brazil remained on track to reach the quarterfinals again, as they have done in every edition since their round-of-16 exit in 1990.

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