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Shootout Win Sends Morocco Past Netherlands, Into Matchup vs. Canada

Morocco's Ismael Saibari (11) reacts after scoring the winning penalty during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Morocco's Ismael Saibari (11) reacts after scoring the winning penalty during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
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Shootout Win Sends Morocco Past Netherlands, Into Matchup vs. Canada

Morocco's Ismael Saibari (11) reacts after scoring the winning penalty during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Morocco's Ismael Saibari (11) reacts after scoring the winning penalty during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Ismael Saibari scored in the fifth round of a penalty shootout and Morocco remained alive at the World Cup following a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in the round of 32 on Monday at Guadalupe, Mexico.

Saibari's kick into the left side of the goal gave Morocco a 3-2 victory in the shootout and set up a round of 16 match against Canada on Saturday at Houston, Reuters reported.

Morocco trailed 1-0 and was minutes from elimination before 6-foot-4 defender Issa Diop scored on a header off a long cross from Chemsdine Talbi just seconds after the clock reached the 90-minute mark. Diop tallied his first international goal after ⁠switching his allegiance ⁠to Morocco from France earlier this year.

Yassine Bounou made one save for Morocco over the 120 minutes of regulation time.

However, his biggest stop of the night came in the fifth round of the shootout when he used his left hand to stop a shot toward the top of the goal from Crysencio Summerville.

Soufiane ⁠Rahimi and Talbi also scored for Morocco in the penalty shootout. Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Summerville all missed from the spot for the Netherlands.

The Dutch had reached the round of 16 each of the previous 11 times they competed at the World Cup.

Cody Gakpo scored from near the penalty spot in the 72nd minute to give the Netherlands a late lead. Bart Verbruggen had four saves for the Dutch in regulation but guessed wrong and dived to his left on Saibari's decisive shot.

Morocco took 11 ⁠shots in ⁠the 120 minutes, while the Netherlands had six. The African side had a 5-2 edge in attempts on target.

In a duel of two top-10 teams in the FIFA world rankings, the seventh-ranked Netherlands finally broke through when Gakpo scored off a spinning pass from Summerville while on the turf.

Gakpo went to his knees and buried his head into the ground in a solemn celebration just days after announcing that he and his partner lost their unborn child.

Sixth-ranked Morocco advanced after they were the runner-up in Group C. They advanced to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Netherlands were eliminated after they were the winner of Group F.

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Isak and Gakpo Injured on Int’l Duty in Blow to Liverpool

Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK
Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK
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Isak and Gakpo Injured on Int’l Duty in Blow to Liverpool

Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK
Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 24 September 2026. EPA/OLAF KRAAK

The international break is not being kind to Liverpool, with key attackers Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo both sustaining injuries while on duty with their countries.

Isak has left the Sweden squad and returned to Liverpool because of what the club has described as a “minor injury.” The striker played the full match as Sweden beat Romania 2-1 on Friday but will not be involved in the country's next three Nations League matches.

Gakpo came off in the 17th minute of the Netherlands' 2-1 win over Serbia on Sunday with an apparent ankle injury suffered a few minutes earlier. The forward tried to continue playing before leaving.

Liverpool's first game back after the international break is against Manchester City at Anfield on Oct. 11.

Sports

Messi and Alcaraz Love it, Now Padel Takes Step Closer to Olympics

Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
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Messi and Alcaraz Love it, Now Padel Takes Step Closer to Olympics

Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
Technical equipment is seen as Hong Kong's Mohammed Khan and Sean Lo Escoto (top) play against Kazakhstan's Zhakas Kozbak and Rodion Pak during the men's pairs padel first round match at the Nagoya City Highashi Sports Center in Nagoya on September 28, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Carlos Alcaraz are all obsessed with it, and on Monday the fast-growing racquet sport of padel made its Asian Games debut with officials hoping a place at the Olympics is getting closer.

Padel, a cross between tennis and squash on courts surrounded by glass walls, is played by an estimated 38 million people and has ambitions to become a major global sport.

It took another step towards that goal at the Asian Games in Nagoya after being added to the continent's biggest sporting spectacular as a medal event.

After winning her opening match with doubles partner Danna Abad, Philippines player Joshea Malazarte told AFP: "Padel in Europe is really big and it has just started here, so we're just glad that they added padel."

Padel originated in Latin America and has exploded in popularity in the last decade, notably in Europe.

Officials say the sport is played in 170 countries and territories, with 85,000 courts around the globe.

It is still relatively unknown in Games host Japan, and there was curiosity among some of the crowd at the modest Higashi Sports Center.

Tickets for the event were free, and one spectator told AFP that she and her friend had dropped in to take a look before heading off for lunch.

Another, 60-year-old Yuko Hiraiwa, said she enjoyed the action but thought the crowd was "a bit quiet".

"I play padel but this was the first time I've seen it live," she said.

"It was really dynamic and exciting."

The sedate atmosphere in Nagoya was a far cry from padel's popularity in other parts of the world.

The sport has a professional tour circuit and an event held at the Roland Garros tennis stadium in Paris this month attracted over 80,000 people.

A galaxy of padel-playing sports stars including football icons Ronaldo and Messi and Formula One driver Max Verstappen have also given it a boost.

Padel has already appeared at the European Games, and International Padel Federation (IPF) official Donatella Del Gaudio said the next goal is the Olympics.

"We are working hard to make it happen soon," she said.

"We just need to be patient, diligent and respect the Olympic timeline."

Padel is usually played as a doubles game and uses solid rather than stringed racquets.

The courts are much smaller than in tennis and enclosed by glass walls, which can be used to hit balls off similar to squash.

Philippines player Malazarte said padel was "more like a chess match" than tennis.

"You have to open up the angle in order to win, you don't rush the points," she said.

"Whereas in tennis if you have a really good forehand, really good backhand, you can win a point."

Padel officials say the sport is enjoyed by people of all ages, and that 50 percent of the worldwide playing population are women.

But not all sports that enjoy high playing numbers translate into successful spectator events.

Despite millions of players around the world squash failed with four bids to become an Olympic sport until it was finally added to the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

So is padel as much fun to watch as it is to play?

"When I watch tournaments live, from the first rounds, every year is getting more and more full," said Kuwaiti player Mariam Al-Sarraj.

"Now it's almost fully booked, so I feel like people like to watch it."

The sport certainly won some new converts in Nagoya, with the crowd gasping in appreciation at some of the shots and rallies.

Interest was raised by the involvement of Japan's Teruaki Ando and Shinnosuke Nakamura, who won a tense thriller against a pair from Lebanon.

IPF official Del Gaudio said padel's Asian Games debut was "a source of pride" for everyone in the sport.

"It's confirmation of padel's growth worldwide," she said.

"It represents a closer step to the Olympics."

Sports

Xavi Pleased with 1st Week as Netherlands Coach, but Wants More

Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
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Xavi Pleased with 1st Week as Netherlands Coach, but Wants More

Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Netherlands in Belgrade, Serbia, 27 September 2026. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC

Netherlands coach Xavi Hernández is pleased with his first week in charge but now wants his side to show an even more attacking game in their next two Nations League fixtures.

The Spanish World Cup winner wants the Dutch side playing with more of the attacking intensity that paid off last Thursday when their persistent forays forced a late equalizer against Germany in Amsterdam.

This was followed by their first victory under Xavi, a 2-1 defeat of Serbia on Sunday.

“It is always most important to get the three ⁠points, I’m happy ⁠that we managed to do that. But we do need to play better, because, especially in the first half, we did not press well," he said.

“Nevertheless, I'm very satisfied after a week of work.”

Xavi singled out AZ Alkmaar striker Mexx Meerdink, who made his a ⁠debut as a substitute against Germany and then marked his first start for the Dutch by scoring both goals against Serbia.

“Mexx is a very hard worker who understands how we want to play," Reuters quoted Xavi as saying.

“He helped the team with more than just his goals, although those certainly helped. The work he did for the team was fantastic.”

The Dutch side face Greece next, in Thessaloniki on Thursday, then entertain Serbia in Eindhoven on Sunday. Xavi ⁠was clear ⁠about where improvements on last week were needed.

“For example, there were many moments when we needed to attack the spaces, but we didn’t do it. That is something we need to improve. But also things such as making the pitch wider and moving the ball around more quickly," he said.

“But the most important thing is that we are creating a lot of chances. The players feel comfortable on the pitch with the structure we are playing in, so a lot of things are also going well."