Assistant Ruud van Nistelrooij Criticizes Referee During Netherlands - Morocco Clash: 'Hard to Predict'

"This is a fiercely contested match, and the referee sometimes allows a lot, sometimes very little. It's hard to predict what he's going to do," Van Nistelrooij said in a brief halftime interview. There were numerous moments in the first half where the referee could have intervened, yet the Brazilian official didn't issue a single yellow card.

There was significant concern for Jan Paul van Hecke, who required treatment for a bloody head injury. This marked the second time this World Cup that the Dutch defender sustained an injury; he suffered a black eye against Japan and now a gash to his head. Pierre van Hooijdonk, however, believes the referee is handling the game well. "This is part of it, these tough challenges. It's fair. Sometimes it goes a little over the edge, but the players are staying within the lines."

• The latest news on the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

• Check the match schedule here, including fixtures, results, and standings.

• Find everything about the Dutch national team here, from news and remarkable stories to statistics.

• Watch and listen to our daily World Cup podcast.

• To ensure you don't miss a thing, download our Sportnieuws.nl App.