Netherlands 0-0 Morocco: Half-time Thoughts

The score remains level at half-time in the round of 32 fixture between the Netherlands and Morocco. While it has not been a game of scintillating attacking play from either side, it has certainly been full of aggression and flying tackles, which has made it entertaining in its own right.

In the 20th minute, the first major opportunity was created when a corner from Ashraf Hakimi found Neil El Aynaoui at the near post, but his header was saved at point blank range by Bart Verbruggen. A minute later, the ball fell to Hakimi on the edge of the box and forced the Dutch goalkeeper into another save. 

Yassine Bounou was largely untroubled until the 44th minute, when Mickey van de Ven drilled an effort just outside the box and forced the Moroccan keeper into a fingertip save.

It was a very frantic end to the half where Ismael Saibari could have bagged a brace. Firstly, he was slipped through one-on-one by Bilal El Khannouss, but he failed to control the ball. Then, in the final moments of the half, Hakimi whipped in a brilliant free-kick that found Saibari at the back post, but the bounce of the ball just missed the forward.