Diop’s 91st-minute header sends Morocco past Netherlands on penalties

Issa Diop rose in the 91st minute and headed Chemsdine Talbi’s cross into the net, dragging Morocco level and turning a near-exit into a life line at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico. Morocco then survived the shootout, winning 3-2 on penalties after the round-of-16 match finished 1-1 in regulation.

For most of the night, the Netherlands had the edge. Cody Gakpo put the Dutch ahead in the 72nd minute, finishing a move that included an assist from Crysencio Summerville. The match carried extra weight before the opening whistle because Morocco entered ranked sixth in the world and the Netherlands seventh, making it the highest combined-ranking clash in the round of 32.

Morocco’s answer came from a player who had only recently been folded into the squad. Diop, a Fulham defender born in France, made his Morocco debut in March 2026 after FIFA approved his switch of federation. He had previously played for France at youth level, and his background has links to both Senegal and Morocco. In a tournament where margins are tight, Morocco found its equalizer from a defender who attacked the box like a striker and met the moment with the match hanging by a thread.

The emotional weight of the late goal reached beyond Morocco’s bench. Gakpo scored through tears, with reports noting that he and his partner, Noa van der Bij, had recently announced the loss of their unborn child. That added another layer of strain to a match already defined by pressure, timing and nerve, as Morocco’s comeback sent the tie to extra time and then to penalties.

Morocco’s place in the next round was secured there, and the team moved on to face Canada on July 4, 2026. What Diop delivered in the 91st minute was more than a stoppage-time equalizer: it was the point at which Morocco stopped chasing the match and started controlling its fate.