Morocco’s dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands sparked jubilant celebrations across The Hague on Tuesday, where a large Moroccan community resides, but the festivities were also marred by clashes with police that led to several arrests.
In the Schilderswijk district of the city, AFP reporters saw fans draped in Moroccan flags dancing and cheering in the streets, as car horns blared and firecrackers exploded.
Several hundred supporters gathered at a crossroads in the district, kicking a ball in the air and celebrating wildly with passengers of passing vehicles, sometimes jumping on cars.
Around one hour into the festivities,however, the mood soured as riot police arrived on the scene, deploying water cannon and conducting baton charges to clear the crowd.
The last-32 match in Monterrey ended in a thrilling 1-1 draw after extra time, leading to a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.
After several misses on both sides, Morocco striker Ismael Saibari, who plays in the Netherlands for PSV Eindhoven, slotted home the winning penalty to set up a last-16 clash with co-hosts Canada.
AFP