Tag: Netherlands

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Morocco beat Netherlands in dramatic World Cup shootout to reach last 16

Morocco defeated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to advance to the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup after a thrilling battle in Monterrey finished 1-1 following extra time.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made the crucial save to block the Netherlands’ fourth penalty from Crysencio Summerville, before striker Ismael Saibari stepped up to blast home the winning spot-kick that sealed a 3-2 shootout win on Monday.

The victory sends Morocco into a last-16 clash with Canada in Houston on Saturday.

An enthralling match had gone to extra time after Issa Diop had glanced in a dramatic equaliser for Morocco in the first minute of stoppage time as the Netherlands had closed in on victory.

Liverpool forward Gakpo sank to the turf and appeared overcome with emotion as his teammates surrounded him in a prolonged group embrace.

But Morocco forced extra time when an unmarked Diop headed home from substitute Chemsdine Talbi’s cross in injury time.

Morocco had created the better chances in the fractious encounter, which saw players from both sides flying into tackles to test the patience of Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio.

The Atlas Lions almost took the lead on 20 minutes when Neil El Aynaoui glanced an Achraf Hakimi corner goal-wards only to be denied by a superb reflex save from Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

Verbruggen was pressed into action moments later, this time doing well to tip a vicious strike from Hakimi over the bar.

The fierce nature of the contest was on full display midway through the half, when Saibari was lucky to escape sanction after elbowing Jan Paul van Hecke in the face.

The Dutch continued to enjoy plenty of possession but were unable to convert it into goalscoring chances.

Their best effort came on 44 minutes, when Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven uncorked a ferocious shot from the edge of the area that was tipped over by Bounou.

Van Hecke continued to find himself in the thick of the action, and after bloodying his head in a collision in the penalty area, made his presence felt with a crunching tackle that upended El Aynaoui just before half-time.

As the half ended, Saibari just failed to connect with a cross that flashed across the Dutch goal before going behind.

The drama continued into an end-to-end second half, but appeared to have tilted in the Netherlands’ favour when coach Ronald Koeman brought on forward Wout Weghorst in a flurry of substitutions after the hydration break.

Weghorst made an immediate impact, flicking on a long ball to send Summerville bearing in on goal. Summerville crossed to Gakpo, who hurled himself at the ball to score.

The Netherlands, superbly marshalled by Gakpo’s Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk, appeared to be heading for victory, but Diop’s late header sent it to extra time.

Morocco looked to have made the breakthrough when Soufiane Rahimi went through on goal in the 96th minute, only to be denied by a jaw-dropping save from Verbruggen.

The Netherlands held on for penalties, but despite Morocco missing their first when El Aynaoui hit the bar, the North Africans recovered to win. (AlJazeera)

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Netherlands routs Sweden 5-1 to lead Group F

Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo scored two goals apiece to power Netherlands to a 5-1 win over Sweden on Saturday in the World Cup to bounce back after a disappointing draw in its opener and move atop the Group F standings.

Brobbey’s goals came in the first half, helping the Netherlands get off to a great start and roll to the big win after playing Japan to a 2-2 draw Sunday.

The victory gives Netherlands a group-leading four points. Sweden has three points, with Japan and Tunisia scheduled to play later Saturday.

Gakpo, who also had an assist, extended the lead to 3-0 just after halftime, scoring in the 47th minute off a cross from Denzel Dumfries. He matched Brobbey when he scored on a right-footed shot from the left box in the 54th minute.

Sweden couldn’t build on its strong performance in a 5-1 walloping of Tunisia in its first match. The loss to the Dutch was its biggest World Cup defeat since losing 7-1 to Brazil in 1950.

The Dutch gameplan to play out wide to open up Sweden and cross to Brobbey worked perfectly early. He put the Netherlands on top in the fifth minute when Gakpo crossed into the middle of the box and Brobbey one-timed it with his right foot before tumbling forward to the grass.

His second goal came when he took a cross from Dumfries while sliding and just got his right foot on the ball, scoring inside the far post in the 17th minute.

Anthony Elanga’s left-footed goal cut the lead to 4-1 in the 59th minute and allowed Sweden to avoid the shutout.

Sweden had plenty of chances to score before that, but Netherlands’ goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was brilliant in the first half with four saves.

Sweden appeared to have cut the lead to 2-1 on a header by Gustaf Lagerbielke in the 44th minute, but he was ruled offside. Lagerbielke is a baron from a noble family in Sweden. His father and grandfather are counts.But he wasn’t the only royalty in the stadium Saturday as the Netherlands had two very special guests cheering them on with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima watching from a luxury suite.

But he wasn’t the only royalty in the stadium Saturday as the Netherlands had two very special guests cheering them on with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima watching from a luxury suite.

The crowd of 68,777 was largely made up of fans of the Netherlands, many of whom made their Oranje Fanwalk 2 1/2 miles from Rice University to Houston Stadium on Saturday morning.

Crysencio Summerville, who assisted on Gakpo’s second goal, tacked on a goal for Netherlands in the 89th minute and celebrated with NBA star Steph Curry’s “night night” gesture.

Sweden finishes group play Thursday night against Japan at Dallas Stadium, and Netherlands meets Tunisia that night in Kansas City. (JapanToday)

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Blast outside Jewish School in Amsterdam, no injuries − Mayor

An overnight blast against an exterior wall of a Jewish school in Amsterdam did not cause any injuries, Mayor Femke Halsema said Saturday, denouncing “a cowardly act of aggression”.

An investigation has been opened and the incident comes after nighttime attacks this week in front of synagogues in the Belgian city of Liege and the Dutch port city of Rotterdam.

Haslema condemned the attack in a statement, noting that Amsterdam’s Jewish community has been “increasingly often confronted with antisemitism and this is unacceptable.”

“A school must be a place where children can attend classes in complete safety. Amsterdam must be a place where Jews can live in safety,” she said.

The police and fire departments quickly arrived at the scene of the blast in Buitenveldert district in the south of Amsterdam, the statement said.

“The material damage is limited,” the mayor said.

The police have CCTV footage of a person placing the explosive device, Halsema said.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten called the incident “terrible” on X and said “Antisemitism has no place in the Netherlands.”

“I understand the anger and fear this provokes, and I will quickly meet with the Jewish community. It must always feel safe in our country,” he added.

Israel’s foreign ministry also weighed in on X, saying: “In the Netherlands, an antisemitism epidemic is raging.”

“Where will the next attack be? The Dutch government needs to do much more to fight antisemitism,” the ministry wrote.

Following a similar attack Friday on a synagogue in Rotterdam, Jetten had condemned any act of violence or intimidation against the Jewish community or any other religious minority.

Four men suspected of being involved in the Rotterdam attack have been arrested, Dutch authorities announced Friday.

The series of attacks on synagogues comes after the launch of the US-Israeli war on Iran, a conflict that has since broadened across the Middle East.

On Monday, an explosion shook a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liege before dawn, causing some damage but no injuries.

It was strongly condemned by Belgian politicians and European Union officials.

On Thursday, a man rammed his car into a synagogue on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, sparking a blaze.

The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, died Friday from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” an FBI official told reporters.

Media reports have indicated his relatives were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon in recent days.

Amid increasing violence and threats against the Jewish community in the United States, there has been a boost in demand for security services specifically protecting Jews, with officers stationed at schools, campuses and other buildings. (Channels)

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FG backs Elias for election to ICJ

The Federal Government has nominated Dr Taoheed Elias as the country’s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, through a statement posted on the social media platform X.

“On behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am honoured to announce the nomination of Dr. Taoheed Elias as Nigeria’s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice @CIJ_ICJ,” Tuggar stated.

The minister praised Elias as one of the most respected figures in international law, citing his “distinguished record of legal scholarship, decades of service to the global community, and dedication to the principles of justice, equity, and the rule of law.”

“His contributions embody the ideals upon which the ICJ was founded and the values enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,” Tuggar added.

“This nomination reflects Nigeria’s steadfast belief in a rules-based international order, one in which justice is impartial, peace is safeguarded, and all nations, regardless of size or power, have an equal voice in shaping a fairer and more secure future for humanity,” the statement continued.

The government urged the international community to support the nomination, stating confidence that Elias’s election would “strengthen the cause of global justice and advance the peaceful settlement of disputes among nations.”

If successful, Elias would become the fourth Nigerian to serve on the ICJ, following in the footsteps of Charles Onyeama, Bola Ajibola, and his father, Taslim Elias.

He is a member of the Institut de Droit International and has served as legal adviser and director at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague.

He is also the current president of the administrative tribunal of the OPEC Fund for International Development, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank administrative tribunal, and a former president and member of the OPEC appeals committee.

The ICJ, commonly regarded as the highest court for resolving disputes between sovereign states, was established in 1945.

It serves as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and is based in The Hague, Netherlands. (Punch)