Cody Gakpo had put the Netherlands ahead on 72 minutes, and they looked to be progressing until Issa Diop glanced in an equaliser in the first minute of added time at the end of regulation. Extra time failed to separate the sides despite Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou's superb save to deny Soufiane Rahimi a winner in the 96th minute. In the shootout, Quinten Timber and Justin Kluivert missed for the Dutch, Bounou saved from Crysencio Summerville, and Saibari held his nerve to confirm Morocco's passage to the round of 16.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman had started the match with five defenders, replacing Tijjani Reijnders with Nathan Aké, and had no regrets about the decision afterwards despite the defeat.
"I look back on that positively," Koeman told NOS. "I have little desire to talk about it further. We can blame ourselves for nothing, as is evident from how devastated the players are. We had a dream."
He acknowledged, however, that there were moments where the team dropped too deep.
"Of course there are things that could have been better and I also saw that there were moments when we sat back too far," he said. "We couldn't press them any more, but we also defended well. You can't give absolutely nothing away against such a good team, but it is all in hindsight. In hindsight everyone has the truth."
He was pointed when asked about public criticism of his tactical choice.
"All of the Netherlands asked for five defenders, then you play with five defenders and it is still wrong. But I couldn't care less. I have no regrets."
He declined to address his future as national team coach.
"I have already formed some thoughts on that, but I am not going to share them now."
Captain Virgil van Dijk was visibly distressed when he spoke to NOS after the final whistle.
"These are the worst moments for a footballer," he said. "It is difficult to analyse right now. It was an intense match. Unfortunately, we are eliminated. At times it went well. Of course it could have been better, but that doesn't help us at all. Unfortunately, we are knocked out again. I want to get home as fast as possible to be with them. That is my only concern right now."
Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi offered an emotional reaction for Morocco, speaking to beIN Sports.
"I think in terms of emotion and stress, this is the most beautiful match of my career," Bouaddi said. "This match with Morocco against a very good Netherlands team, it was a great game and we are very happy to have the victory. It also shows one of our strengths which is confidence.
"We have confidence in our game, in our qualities. We know a match is long and we showed that again here by scoring near the end of regular time. And we then saw that in extra time we held on and that we went to get this one in penalties, which is not easy. I think in the game we deserved it and we are very happy. It is incredible to think that we have just knocked out the Netherlands and we are only in the round of 32 and the hardest part is beginning. Now it is the last 16. There are still many matches ahead of us if we want to reach the final and why not try to win this trophy. But we are not there yet. As I said, we will celebrate a little because of course we want to savour this moment. And then we will concentrate on the next match against a very good Canada side with some very good players."
Morocco advance to face Canada in Houston on July 4.