2 hours ago
2
Morocco refused to go quietly. Trailing by a goal with the clock running out at Estadio BBVA Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico, the Atlas Lions found a way back, as they so often do, and walked away from Sunday’s Round of 32 clash with the Netherlands with a hard-earned 1-1 draw.
The Netherlands broke the deadlock through Cody Gakpo in the 72nd minute. Gakpo gave the Dutch what looked like a decisive advantage with roughly twenty minutes left to play.
Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, substitute Chemsdine Talbi picked out defender Issa Diop, who converted to make it 1-1 and send a large portion of Estadio BBVA Monterrey into chaos.
Morocco had arrived at this match in compelling form. Their previous result, a draw against Brazil, suggested a team comfortable operating in high-pressure environments against elite opposition.
The Netherlands entered as group winners. They controlled long stretches of the match and, but for Diop’s intervention, would have advanced with a relatively comfortable margin of victory.
The bigger picture at World Cup 2026
Morocco’s presence in the Round of 32 continues a trajectory that began gaining serious global attention at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they became the first African side to reach a World Cup semifinal.
The venue itself added to the spectacle. Estadio BBVA Monterrey, home to Mexican club side Rayados, has a reputation for an electric atmosphere, and a match of this magnitude brought out the full intensity of that environment.
What this means for both teams
The match on June 29 in Monterrey will be remembered for Diop’s goal in the 90th+1 minute and the way Morocco refused to accept an unfavorable result, with Chemsdine Talbi’s assist proving the decisive contribution.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
English (US) · 