Super Falcons fullback Michelle Alozie has praised Morocco’s fearless performance following the Atlas Lions’ impressive victory over the Netherlands in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday.
Alozie took to her Snapchat story shortly after the match, posting a brief but emphatic message: “Football won today!”
Morocco secured their place in the Round of 16 after fighting back late in stoppage time, with Issa Diop scoring a dramatic equaliser to force extra time before the North Africans prevailed 3-2 in a thrilling penalty shootout.
Alozie’s reaction appeared to reflect the contrasting tactical approaches adopted by both teams. Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman opted for a conservative setup featuring five defenders, while Morocco, led by Mohamed Ouahbi, remained committed to an attacking, front-foot style throughout the contest
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The statistics underlined Morocco’s dominance over the course of the 120 minutes. The Atlas Lions enjoyed 70 per cent possession, registered 11 shots, five efforts on target and created five big chances. The Netherlands managed just six shots, with only two on target, while creating a single big chance and failing to register a shot during extra time.
Koeman’s cautious game plan has since drawn criticism from fans and football observers, many of whom praised Morocco for sticking to their attacking philosophy despite facing one of Europe’s traditional football powers.
The result continues Morocco’s impressive record of upsetting established European nations on the world stage, following their memorable victories over Spain and Portugal during their historic run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Morocco will now turn their attention to a Round of 16 clash against co-hosts Canada at Houston Stadium on Saturday, July 4, as they continue their pursuit of another deep World Cup run.
For the Netherlands, the defeat marks a disappointing end to a campaign in which they had been tipped by many as potential dark horses for the title.
