June 30 (UPI) — Morocco netted a stoppage-time equalizer before edging the Netherlands 3-2 in penalty kicks to win a tight Round of 32 match at the 2026 World Cup.

With victory Monday in Guadalupe, Mexico, the No. 6 Moroccans set up a Round of 16 clash with co-host No. 30 Canada. That meeting will occur Saturday in Houston.

“The president came earlier and showed us a video of people in Morocco,” said defender Issa Diop, who scored a 91st minute equalizer in Morocco’s win. “We know they are all behind us, supporting us. They don’t even sleep to watch the game.

“We know we are doing more than just playing football games. We have to play for them.”

The Moroccans outshot the No. 7 Dutch 11-6, with five attempts on target. They also held advantages of 70% to 30% in possession and 801 to 292 in accurate passes, but appeared destined for an exit when Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo put the Dutch ahead with a first blood score in the 72nd minute.

Dutch goalie Bart Verbruggen, who logged five saves, started the game’s first scoring sequence with a boot to midfield. Forward Wout Weghorst used his head to flick the ball forward for Crysencio Summerville. The midfielder raced toward the Moroccan box, where he was taken down, but managed to get the ball to Gakpo.

Gakpo finished the play with a rip past Moroccan goalie Yassine Bounou.

But Diop’s stoppage time heroics helped the Moroccans stave off elimination and force extra time.

Chemsdine Talbi assisted the equalizer. The Moroccan forward dribbled the ball deep in Dutch territory. He lifted his head near the left flank before chipping a cross toward the far post from about 25 yards out. The ball landed about 6 yards from the net, where it found Diop. He used his head to find the right side of the netting, beating a diving Verbruggen.

Neither team found the net in extra time, prompting the shootout, which allowed the Moroccans to advance past the World Cup group stage for the second time in history.

Midfielder Teun Koopmeiners put the Dutch ahead by scoring on the first attempt of the shootout. Moroccan midfielder Neil El Aynaoui followed with a shot off the crossbar. Forward Justin Kluvert hit the post on the Netherlands’ next attempt. Forward Soufiane Rahimi then scored to tie the shootout.

Weghorst and Talbi each scored in the third round of penalty kicks. Dutch midfielder Quinten Timber and Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi each missed in the fourth round.

Bounou denied Summerville on the Netherlands’ final attempt. Midfielder Ismael Sailbari sealed the Moroccan victory when he netted the final penalty kick with a shot to his left as Verbruggen dove the opposite direction.

“It was a big big match, a great match,” said Moroccan left back Noussair Mazraoui. “That we won here is like the feeling that we won the final. It’s a huge accomplishment for the team.

“We are going to stay humble, of course, because that’s why we are here today.”

The Canadians will meet the Moroccans at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday at Houston Stadium. The winner of that match will take on No. 34 Paraguay or the winner of the France-Sweden Round of 32 meeting in the quarterfinals.

“I don’t know how its going to be,” Diop said. “We are just into the next round. Now it’s game by game. We are going to recover and be focused for the game against Canada.

Earlier Monday, No. 5 Brazil advanced with a 2-1 win over No. 17 Japan in Houston. Midfielder Gabriel Martinelli netted that winner in stoppage time. The Brazilians will meet No. 23 Norway or the No. 31 Ivory Coast in the Round of 16.

Paraguay also eliminated No. 12 Germany by winning 4-3 in penalty kicks Monday in Foxborough, Mass. No. 2 France will take on No. 37 Sweden to decide Paraguay’s Round of 16 foe at 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday in East Rutherford, N.J.

Norway will meet the Ivory Coast to determine Brazil’s next opponent in the first game of Tuesday’s slate at 1 p.m. in Arlington, Texas.

No. 9 Mexico will host No. 24 Ecuador in Tuesday’s nightcap at 9 p.m. in Mexico City. The winner of that Round of 32 clash will face No. 4 England or the No. 41 DR Congo in the Round of 16.