In numbers.. Morocco has overwhelming superiority over the Netherlands, despite the decision on penalties

The Moroccan national team defeated its Dutch counterpart in performance and statistics in the round of 32 match of the 2026 World Cup, although the decision came via penalty kicks, with the “Atlas Lions” confirming their full right to reach the final 16, after a match in which they presented one of their best performances in the tournament so far.

The confrontation ended in a draw (1-1) in regular and extra time, before Morocco won qualification on penalties (3-2), but reading the numbers reflects a clear superiority for the Moroccan team over the course of 120 minutes, as Morocco captured 70% of the game, compared to only 30% for the Netherlands, and also excelled in the number of passes with remarkable accuracy reaching 91.1%, compared to 78.6% for the opponent, in addition to a clear advantage in Passes inside the opponent’s half of the field at a rate of 85.9%.

At the level of attack, Morocco shot 11 balls, compared to only six balls for the Netherlands, including five shots on goal, compared to two shots. It also created more chances inside the penalty area, while Moroccan superiority also seemed clear in bilateral duels with a success rate of 51%, compared to 49%, in addition to a significant superiority in air balls by 63.3%, compared to 36.7%.

The match witnessed a pivotal moment when Sufyan Rahimi, the Emirati star of Al Ain, almost scored a historic goal from a dangerous opportunity inside the penalty area, but the Dutch goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen, blocked it brilliantly, saving his country from a certain goal that would have changed the course of the match early.

The Netherlands’ only goal came from Cody Jacobo in the 72nd minute, before Morocco succeeded in returning in the fatal moments with Issa Diop’s goal in the first minute of stoppage time (90+1), leading the match to two extra halves and then to penalty kicks, where the “Atlas Lions” showed a strong personality and high decisiveness in moments of pressure.

With this qualification, the Moroccan team enters the round of 16 match against Canada with high morale, even though the Canadian team is hosting the tournament matches on its home soil and amidst great public support, the balance of nominations is relatively tilted in favor of Morocco, in terms of the quality of the elements, international experience, and group cohesion, especially with its possession of names playing at the highest European levels.

The Moroccan team bases its optimism on its historical superiority over Canada, as the two teams previously met in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the group stage, and Morocco achieved a deserved victory with two unanswered goals scored by Hakim Ziyech in the fourth minute, and Youssef En-Nesyri in the 23rd minute, in a match that showed at the time the technical difference in favor of the “Atlas Lions.”

With this momentum, the way seems open for Morocco to continue its journey in the tournament and reach the quarter-finals, especially in light of the possible path that may put it in a strong confrontation with France if it qualifies, as France will play against Sweden in the round of 16, and the winner of them will face Paraguay in the next round, which makes this side of the table one of the most exciting paths in the tournament.

The Moroccan team hopes to capitalize on the high morale and technical cohesion it showed against the Netherlands, in order to continue writing history in a version that is considered one of the most competitive in the history of the World Cup, amid increasing ambitions to reach unprecedented advanced roles.

. Morocco shot 11 balls on goal, compared to only 6 for the Netherlands.