Football / World Cup USA '94: Roy's late decider wins group for Dutch

Netherlands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Morocco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

THE Netherlands swept into the second round of the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Morocco in the steamy heat of the Citrus Bowl in Orlando yesterday.

With Belgium losing 1-0 to Saudi Arabia in Washington, the Dutch finished top of Group F by virtue of their previous 2-1 victory over the Saudis, with whom they shared the final tally of six points and a 4-3 goal difference.

However, the Dutch, who will meet the Republic of Ireland in Orlando in the second round on Monday, endured many anxious moments against the unfortunate Moroccans, who leave USA '94 without a point.

Bryan Roy, who had been on the pitch just 11 minutes, netted the winner in the 78th minute, gratefully snapping up the chance provided by Dennis Bergkamp, who had crossed from the left for the substitute to shoot home with his left foot.

Bergkamp had put the Netherlands into the lead two minutes before the interval but Dutch joy was short-lived because Hassan Nader fired Morocco level within two minutes of the restart. Peter van Vossen, one of four changes in the Dutch starting line-up from the one beaten 1-0 by Belgium last Saturday, evaded two tackles on the left and cut into the Moroccan box. He touched the ball on to Bergkamp, who managed to squeeze a close-range left-foot shot into the far corner of the net to the left of Morocco's goalkeeper, Zakaria Alaoui.

Morocco started the second half with only 10 men and it took a minute for the substitute midfielder, Mustapha, Hadji to get on to the pitch. But, once there, Hadji immediately justified the switch. He gathered a long ball on the right and centred for Nader to tuck away the equaliser. It was no more than the north Africans deserved for, with a revamped front three, they had frequently threatened on the break and would not have been flattered by a draw.

The veteran Dutch midfielder, Jan Wouters, will miss the Irish game after receiving his second booking of the tournament for fouling Nader in the 30th minute.

NETHERLANDS: De Goey (Feyenoord); Koeman (Barcelona), Valckx (Sporting Lisbon), F de Boer (Ajax); Winter (Lazio), Jonk (Internazionale), Witschge (Feyenoord), Wouters (PSV Eindhoven); Overmars (Ajax), Bergkamp (Internazionale), Van Vossen (Ajax). Substitutes: Taument (Feyenoord) for Overmars, 56; Roy (Foggia) for Van Vossen, 67.

MOROCCO: Alaoui; El Khalej (both KAC Marrakesh); Triki (Chateauroux), Neqrouz (MC Oudja), El Hadrioui (FAR Rabat), Azzouzi (MSV Duisburg), Hababi (Olympic Khouribga), Bahja (KAC Marrakesh), Nader (Farense), Bouyboub (Wydad Casablanca), Samadi (FAR Rabat). Substitutes: Hadji (Nancy) for Bouyboub, 47; Daoudi (Wydad Casablanca) for Azzouzi, 61.

Referee: A Tejada Noriega (Peru)