Saibari sends Morocco into the World Cup last 16
Morocco knock out Netherlands on penalties
Your team are through to the World Cup round of 16. Morocco 1–1 Netherlands after 120 minutes, and then Ismael Saibari stepped up and buried his penalty to send the Dutch home (2) (3).
The shootout was chaos. Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen scored a bizarre own goal from the spot, three Netherlands players missed, and Morocco held their nerve (1) (4). Saibari has now scored in every group-stage match, and he delivered again when it mattered most.
Ronald Koeman took it on the chin: "We know how difficult penalties are in these moments" (1).
Saibari the hero again
He scored in every group game. Now he has the penalty that knocked out the Netherlands. Ismael Saibari is the name every Morocco fan will be singing this week. He did not flinch when the moment came.
Koeman faces exit after early Dutch collapse
Dutch media are calling it a tactical disaster. Some outlets said Koeman's five-defender setup was a mistake from the start (8). The coach said he would do the same again and will now reflect on his future (3).
Valentijn Driessen went hardest on Frenkie de Jong: "He's the best player in the side, but he doesn't take the team by the hand" (6).
Three Dutch players targeted online after missed penalties
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Crysencio Summerville all missed from the spot and were hit with hate on Instagram afterwards. The three players have taken action against the abuse (4).
Neymar mocks the mathematician who picked Netherlands
A mathematician predicted the Netherlands would win the whole thing. Neymar saw the forecast and had a laugh after Morocco knocked them out: "Intentá en la próxima", try again next time (7).
Fan reactions
Morocco supporters are in full celebration mode. The penalty shootout has lit up every corner of the fanbase, with Saibari's name everywhere. The Dutch side of the conversation is darker, anger at Koeman's setup, the missed penalties, and the online abuse that followed. See the full thread here.
Sources
- 1. nos.nl — Missers tegen Marokko voeden nationaal penaltytrauma: komen we er ooit vanaf?
- 2. rtl.nl — Wéér loopt het stuk op penalty's, en dat had niet gehoeven, zegt deze deskundige
- 3. sportnieuws.nl — 'Bondscoach Ronald Koeman moet plaatsmaken na drama met Oranje op WK voetbal'
- 4. fcupdate.nl — Kluivert, Timber en Summerville grijpen hard in na dramatische penaltyreeks
- 6. voetbalprimeur.nl — Driessen: 'Hij is de beste speler van Oranje, maar neemt Oranje niet bij de hand'
- 7. ole.com.ar — Neymar se burló del matemático que predijo a Países Bajos campeón del Mundial: "Intentá en la próxima"
- 8. voetbalprimeur.nl — 'Tactisch fiasco' kost Oranje WK: 'Bij formatie wist je al dat je had verloren'