Jorrel Hato made his long-awaited first appearance at the 2026 World Cup, but it ended in bitter disappointment as the Netherlands were knocked out by Morocco in a tense penalty shootout.
The young defender was introduced late in the game, replacing Micky van de Ven at left wing-back with just four minutes of normal time left. At that moment, the Dutch looked on course for victory after Cody Gakpo had broken the deadlock in the 72nd minute, finishing clinically to put his side ahead.
But Morocco refused to back down.
After piling on pressure for much of the second half, the North Africans found their reward in the very first minute of stoppage time. Issa Diop rose highest to power home a header, sending Moroccan fans into wild celebrations and forcing the game into extra time.
It was a goal Morocco had earned through persistence. Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen had already kept the Netherlands alive with a string of excellent saves, while Achraf Hakimi came agonisingly close when his effort rattled the crossbar.
Dutch heartbreak as Morocco hold nerve
The drama continued into extra time, with Verbruggen producing one of the tournament’s finest saves to deny substitute Soufiane Rahimi from close range.
With neither side able to find a winner, the match headed to penalties — the second straight Round of 32 clash to be decided from the spot after Germany’s defeat to Paraguay.
The shootout was full of nerves, with both teams missing two of their opening four penalties — none of them even hitting the target. The decisive moment came when Crysencio Summerville saw his effort brilliantly saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who guessed correctly and made a crucial stop.
That opened the door for Ismail Saibari, who kept his composure and smashed home the winning penalty to send Morocco into the next round and shatter the Netherlands’ hopes of lifting their first-ever World Cup trophy.
