Morocco's penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands sparked jubilation in The Hague on Tuesday, where thousands of supporters flooded the streets to celebrate. The win also triggered violent clashes between revellers and riot police in the city's Schilderswijk district, home to a large Moroccan diaspora.
Fans wrapped in Moroccan flags danced and cheered as car horns blared and firecrackers lit up the neighbourhood. Several hundred supporters gathered at a crossroads, kicking footballs in the air and jumping on passing vehicles as they celebrated the stunning result.
The atmosphere shifted sharply when riot police arrived roughly an hour into the festivities. Officers deployed water cannons and launched baton charges to disperse the crowds gathering in the streets.
Reporters on the ground witnessed around a dozen arrests as police tackled young men and struck them with batons before bundling them into vans. Dutch officers on bicycles pursued youths through the district in a cat-and-mouse chase, though no major damage occurred.
Many supporters refused to speak to journalists, choosing instead to conceal their identities behind balaclavas and face coverings. The last-32 match in Monterrey had ended 1-1 after extra time, setting up a dramatic penalty decider.
Morocco's Ismael Saibari, who plays for PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch top flight, scored the decisive penalty. His goal sent Morocco through to face co-hosts Canada in the last-16 stage of the tournament.
