In a heated match between the Netherlands and Morocco, Dutch fans have voiced their outrage over referee Wilton Sampaio's decisions, particularly regarding an incident involving Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi. During the first half, Ounahi struck Jan Paul van Hecke with an elbow, yet Sampaio did not issue a penalty or even a foul call.

The incident occurred in the 26th minute when Van Hecke headed the ball away while Ounahi jumped for it. Ounahi's elbow made contact with Van Hecke's jaw, leaving many players, including Virgil van Dijk, visibly upset. Dutch coach Ronald Koeman approached the fourth official Cristián Garay to express his concerns about the lack of action from the referee.

Commentator Jeroen Grueter criticized the referee's inaction, stating, "He turns his body in such a way that he can deliver an elbow strike. This is a striking motion, and the VAR should have reviewed it, but that seems not to have happened. He uses his arm as a weapon in the duel and does so completely deliberately. This was intentional." This sentiment was echoed by many viewers on social media, who agreed with Grueter's assessment.

Later in the first half, Van Hecke suffered another injury when he was struck on the head by the studs of Noussair Mazraoui during a corner kick, resulting in a significant wound. Despite this, he continued to play.

During halftime, assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooij also commented on Sampaio's officiating, noting, "The referee allows a lot at times, and at other times, very little, making it difficult to predict his decisions." Fans took to social media to express their frustration, with many calling for stricter enforcement of rules and questioning the effectiveness of VAR in such situations.