Key events<\/p>\n
GOAL (Netherlands 1-1 Morocco Diop 90+1)<\/p>\n
Diop has an equalizer!<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 89 min Morocco make another push, but Saibari goes down holding his face after a pull from behind by Timber. The referee doesn\u2019t stop play.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 88 min The Dutch attack \u2013 chiefly Gakpo \u2013 has looked so much more engaged and involved since Koeman\u2019s first substitutions.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 86 min Changes for both sides: Rahimi and Talbi on, El Khannouss and Ounahi off for Morocco. Timber and Hato on, Gravenberch and Van der Ven off for the Netherlands<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 85 min More incredible Dutch defending in the final stretch here. Van Dijk makes a 30-yard sprint to stop Saibari with a crunching clean tackle before the Morocco forward can even make his way into the box.<\/p>\n Virgil van Dijk makes an important challenge on Ismael Saibari. Photograph: Mois\u00e9s Castillo\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.54 EDT<\/p>\n 82 min Daniel points out: \u201cYeah, Weghorst was the hero of the 2022 World Cup<\/a> for some glorious 15 minutes … until Messi qu\u00e9mir\u00e1bobo\u2019d him.\u201d True!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.46 EDT<\/p>\n 82 min Morocco thread a ball through to an open Yassine, but the pass is too far for him to catch up to it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 80 min Play is stopped for a head injury check to Gravenberch. Good opportunity to rewatch Gakpo\u2019s goal: his timing of the run is really excellent, as was his anticipation to catch Bounou off his line.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79 min More changes for Morocco: Brahim and Bouaddi are off, El Mourabet and Yassine (a goalscorer against Haiti) on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 min Riad is off for Morocco and Salah Eddine is on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 min Morocco win a corner, but Van Dijk heads it away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.42 EDT<\/p>\n 76 min Was this Koeman\u2019s gameplan the entire time: conservative for 70-ish minutes, then bring on the mighty Wout Weghorst \u2013 reminder, a hero at the 2022 World Cup<\/a> \u2013 to change the dynamic? Whatever the plan, it\u2019s worked.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Gakpo and his partner recently announced that they lost their unborn son, and he decided to stay at the tournament. Here\u2019s what Ronald Koeman said before this match:<\/p>\n \u201cOf course in the first few days he had the freedom to go out and be with the family. There was never a moment when he said \u2018I want to go back [home]\u2019. That\u2019s the way he approached it. He\u2019s ready to play and I don\u2019t think it will be a heavy weight on his performance. He deals with things in his own way. It\u2019s very powerful, beautiful, and we\u2019ve left it there.\u201d<\/p>\n His goal was a powerful moment, and the emotion was clear as his teammates ran out to celebrate with him.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an emotional moment for Cody Gakpo. Photograph: Eloisa Sanchez\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.44 EDT<\/p>\n An incredible sequence right out of the hydration break and the substitutions as the entire Dutch team run off the bench to surround Gakpo after that goal. Weghorst\u2019s header reached Summerville, who somehow managed to lay the pass off while falling between defenders and found Gakpo in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n Cody Gakpo reaches the ball first and tucks it away. Photograph: Alex Pantling\/Fifa\/Getty ImagesGakpo (centre) and his Netherlands teammates after he opened the scoring. Photograph: Carl Recine\/Getty ImagesMore teammates rush to Gakpo. Photograph: Luke Hales\/Getty ImagesNetherlands players celebrate after Cody Gakpo opened the scoring. Photograph: ANP\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.52 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! (Netherlands 1-0 Morocco Gakpo 72′)<\/p>\n Gakpo gives the Dutch the lead!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 71 min Dutch changes: Brobbey and Ake off, Weghorst and Koopmeiners on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 69 min Country Roads is playing at Estadio Monterrey. Hakimi is getting what appears to be a blister on his foot taped. Riad is on his fourth (!) jersey of the game. Thoughts, once again, to the equipment managers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.33 EDT<\/p>\n 68 min Hydration break time again. The US broadcast notes that Morocco have had 79% (!) of possession this half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 66 min The Dutch still have just the lone shot on target, by Van de Ven in the 48th minute. Reminder: they were one of just three teams to score 10 goals in the group stage. One is still alive (France); another is already on the plane home (Germany).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.29 EDT<\/p>\n 64 min The defensive efforts from both sides have been quite impressive through the first 20 minutes of this half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.27 EDT<\/p>\n 63 min Hakimi tries to score on a corner, but it\u2019s stopped by Verbruggen again at the near post. On the second attempt, Dumfries knocks it out in the same spot. On the third attempt, it\u2019s tapped out by De Jong. On the fourth attempt, it\u2019s long and too far. Some nice last-Dutch defending there.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 58 min Nathan Ak\u00e9 joins the party with a clearing header before Verbruggen is called into action again for a save. On the other end, Gakpo makes another run into the box before laying it off to Gravenberch, whose shot is blocked. Gakpo has looked more involved this half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 57 min I am still thinking about that Van de Ven tackle.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 56 min What a tackle! Van de Ven makes a remarkable run to stop Hakimi on the breakaway and stop what surely could have been a chance on goal.<\/p>\n Micky van de Ven slides in to thwart Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi. Photograph: Eloisa Sanchez\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.27 EDT<\/p>\n 52 min Hakimi picked up a pass from Ounahi in open space but took a touch too many and fired a shot off Verbuggen\u2019s outstretched hand. It looked like it clipped the bar, too. Through the first five or so minutes of the second half, Morocco have had the energy and momentum.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.17 EDT<\/p>\n 51 min From our US soccer editor Alex Abnos on BlueSky: \u201cEvery World Cup we remember that the Netherlands<\/a> produced guys like Johan Cruyff but forget they also produced guys like Mark Van Bommel.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49 min Bouaddi gets his first shot of the night from the top of the box. His shot goes high and wide, but it\u2019s a promising early push from the Atlas Lions.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 48 min Summerville takes the free kick. Van de Ven flicks it with his head toward goal, but Bounou handles.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.30 EDT<\/p>\n 47 min Right out of the gate! Yellow card to Diop for a shove and trip to the back of Broddey.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 min Second half is under way.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.14 EDT<\/p>\n No half-time substitutions for either side.<\/p>\n As Richard McGahey notes, this referee issued three (!) red cards in the Mexico v South Africa opener. Let\u2019s see how long he waits in this second half to give a yellow \u2013 if he does at all.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n From Thomas, earlier:<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone mentioned the \u2018Battle of Nuremberg\u2019. I still think it\u2019s one of the all time classic games of all time and still reread that MBM when I am bored sometimes. It\u2019s so innocent in the beginning and ramps up from minute 50 or so when the action kicks off (literally). It\u2019s like the writer cannot believe his own eyes after a while.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time emails:<\/p>\n \u201cBrobbey being kicked every time the ball is near him, and just as often when it isn\u2019t. Seems to be Morocco\u2019s tactic.\u201d Burt<\/p>\n \u201cIs it just me, or is the Dutch formation turning this game into 10 v 11? Because van de Ven doesn\u2019t seem to be making any contribution at all? No criticism of Mickey here \u2013 he\u2019s a fine player \u2013 but it just seems like the Netherlands<\/a> are short a midfielder.\u201d Mac<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018Summerville gets the ball in the box from Dumfries\u2019 Good pass though to be so accurate with a kick all the way from Dumfries. Must be a tailwind.\u201d Richard, Dumfries United fan, in Dumfries.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was great fun, in part because they are two very good teams and in large part because the referee let everything go. Rough and entertaining.\u201d Robin<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time statistics:<\/p>\n