Netherlands held by dominant Morocco as defences shine in World Cup stalemate

Morocco were left to rue a host of missed chances as the Netherlands survived prolonged pressure to earn a 1-1 draw in Match Round 32 of the World Cup, despite having only 30% of the ball.

• Netherlands will play with . , on .
• Morocco will play with Canada. July 04 at 17:00 (GMT), on NRG Stadium.

Netherlands

• Bart Verbruggen (8.3)
• Jan Paul van Hecke (6.9)
• Virgil van Dijk (6.9)
• Nathan Benjamin Aké (6.3)
• Denzel Justus Morris Dumfries (6.2)
• Ryan Jiro Gravenberch (6.3)
• Frenkie de Jong (6.9)
• Micky van de Ven (6.5)
• Crysencio Jilbert Sylverio Cir Summerville (7.2)
• Cody Mathès Gakpo (6.9)
• Brian Ebenezer Adjei Brobbey (6.9)

Morocco

Substitutions:

Netherlands

• Brian Ebenezer Adjei Brobbey (Wout Weghorst, 71)
• Nathan Benjamin Aké (Teun Koopmeiners, 71)
• Ryan Jiro Gravenberch (Quinten Ryan Crispito Timber, 86)
• Micky van de Ven (Jorrel Hato, 86)
• Frenkie de Jong (Marten Elco de Roon, 110)
• Cody Mathès Gakpo (Justin Dean Kluivert, 113)

Morocco

• Chadi Riad Dnanou (Anass Salah-Eddine, 75)
• Ayyoub Bouaddi (Samir El Mourabet, 79)
• Brahim Abdelkader Díaz (Gessime Yassine, 79)
• Azzedine Ounahi (Soufiane Rahimi, 86)
• Bilal El Khannouss (Chemsdine Talbi, 87)

Ball possession:

For long spells it was a contest played almost entirely on Moroccan terms, the North Africans monopolising possession, territory and tempo. Yet the Dutch, compact and organised, made the most of their limited attacking moments and relied on a disciplined defensive display to emerge with a point that could prove precious in the group picture.

Passes:

Morocco, who enjoyed 70% possession and out-shot the Netherlands by some distance, will wonder how they failed to turn control into victory. They produced 11 shots on target, with five efforts on goal, but found Dutch bodies in the way time and again.

Defense:

The Netherlands, by contrast, fashioned far fewer clear openings. They managed six shots on target and just two on goal, but were clinical enough when it mattered and resilient when it did not.

Face-to-face:

### Morocco dictate the play, but breakthrough proves elusive

Fouls:

Yellow cards:

• Issa Laye Lucas Jean Diop (Morocco) at 47 minute

Penalties in a match:

• Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands) at 120 minute
• Wout Weghorst (Netherlands) at 120 minute
• Soufiane Rahimi (Morocco) at 120 minute
• Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco) at 120 minute
• Ismael Saibari Ben El Basra (Morocco) at 120 minute

The last five games (including this match):

• Netherlands –
• Morocco –

Top 5 World Cup scorers:

1. Masour Ousmane Dembélé (3, )
2. Riyad Karim Mahrez (2, )
3. Leandro Trossard (2, )
4. Yoane Wissa (2, )
5. Nicolas Pépé (2, )

Line-ups:

Next games:

• Netherlands will play with . , on .
• Morocco will play with Canada. July 04 at 17:00 (GMT), on NRG Stadium.