Morocco, Paraguay Qualify to Next Round

Morocco through to World Cup round of 16 with shootout win over Netherlands

Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout on Monday, knocking the Dutch out of the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32.

After a stoppage-time goal by Morocco’s Issa Diop cancelled out Cody Gakpo’s opener for the Netherlands, the teams were forced into extra time in Monterrey, followed by a dramatic shootout.

Following a series of saves and misses, star striker Ismael Saibari scored the winning spot-kick for Morocco, who will face Canada in the round of 16.

Paraguay shock Germany in shootout win for one of all-time World Cup upsets

Germany’s World Cup 2026 campaign is over after a shock defeat – arguably the competition’s greatest – by Paraguay in the round of 32.

The Germans trailed 1-0 at half-time to Julio Enciso’s 42nd-minute header from Matias Galarza’s cross on Monday.

It was a limp display by the four-time winners in the first period, but they drew level in the second half, when Kai Havertz scored eight minutes after the restart with a glancing header from Florian Wirtz’s ball in from the flank.

Germany then had a Jonathan Tah goal from a corner ruled out after a VAR review for a foul on Paraguay’s keeper, and with no further goal, the game went to spot kicks after extra time.

Havertz, who helped Arsenal end a 22-year wait to win the English Premier League title this season, missed the opening kick of the shootout. The forward’s side would miss three kicks in total, as Paraguay, who themselves missed two kicks, eventually prevailed 4-3.

- Authors: Kevin Hand, Manasi Pathak (Al Jazeera)