Morocco beat Netherlands on penalties as Canada wait in last 16
Morocco eliminated the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Monterrey, while co-host Canada had already become the first knockout-round winner under Jesse Marsch. Monday also delivered Brazil's 2-1 stoppage-time win over Japan and Paraguay's 4-3 penalty upset of Germany. Penalties dominated the night—and with Canada and Morocco both in the last 16 picture, the co-host's path now runs through a bracket reshaped by shootout drama.
Key Takeaways
- Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties after Cody Gakpo's 71st-minute goal and Issa Diop's stoppage-time equalizer in Monterrey.
- Canada were the first team through the round of 32, with ESPN crediting Jesse Marsch's moves for their progress before Monday's tripleheader.
- Brazil edged Japan 2-1 in Houston as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time after Casemiro's equalizer.
- Paraguay stunned Germany 4-3 on penalties in Foxborough after a 1-1 draw that included a VAR-disallowed German extra-time goal.
- Two of Monday's three knockout matches were settled by penalty shootouts after 120 minutes, highlighting razor-thin margins.
Why did Netherlands vs Morocco go to penalties?
The round-of-32 clash in Guadalupe, Mexico, stayed scoreless for more than 70 minutes despite Morocco controlling possession and generating more shots, according to NBC News live coverage. The Netherlands broke through when Cody Gakpo finished a rebound after Crysencio Summerville's run in the 71st minute—an emotional moment for a forward whose partner had shared news of a pregnancy loss days earlier.
Morocco answered in the first minute of stoppage time. Issa Diop headed home Chemsdine Talbi's cross to make it 1-1 and force extra time. Bart Verbruggen kept the Dutch alive with a critical save on Soufiane Rahimi's one-on-one chance in the 97th minute. When neither side scored across 30 extra minutes, the match moved to penalties—Morocco's first attempt missed, but Justin Kluivert hit the post for the Netherlands.
Yahoo Sports reported Morocco ultimately prevailed 3-2 on spot kicks after misses from both sides. The result ends another night of World Cup shootout tension and sends the Atlas Lions onward as Canada await the next twist in the bracket. For full live context, see NBC News's knockout-round live blog.
How did Brazil and Paraguay survive their round of 32 tests?
Brazil faced an early scare in Houston when Kaishu Sano stole possession and fired Japan ahead in the first half. NBC News described Japan as stifling the five-time champions for long stretches, but Brazil turned relentless after the break. Casemiro headed in an equalizer in the 56th minute, and Gabriel Martinelli curled home the winner deep in stoppage time to send Brazil into the round of 16.
Paraguay's upset of Germany was equally chaotic. Julio Enciso's first-half header gave La Albirroja a 1-0 lead in Foxborough, and Kai Havertz equalized in the 52nd minute. Germany thought it had seized a 2-1 lead in extra time when Jonathan Tah headed home, but VAR ruled Orlando Gill had been fouled before the goal and wiped it off. After 120 minutes at 1-1, Gill made key saves in the shootout and Paraguay held its nerve to win 4-3 on penalties—advancing to face the France-Sweden winner.
Where does Canada's knockout run fit now?
Before Monday's slate, ESPN's World Cup Daily noted that the knockout stage had officially begun and that Canada were the first team through from the prior day, with Jesse Marsch's tactical moves credited for helping Canada progress. NBC News framed the day's later fixtures around a simple question: who would join Brazil and Canada in the round of 16?
Morocco's penalty victory supplies one answer. For Canadian supporters tracking every twist in this North American tournament, the co-host's last-16 berth now shares the spotlight with Atlas Lions resilience and a bracket littered with shootout survivors. Stay on top of fast-moving headlines in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub as knockout football keeps rewriting the 2026 World Cup story.