After missing Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, the Netherlands almost stumbled for their comeback in an international competition, Sunday, June 13. But, to courage, the “Oranje” disposed of Ukraine 3-2, after a crazy scenario match in Amsterdam, in front of 16,000 noisy fans as if they were 50,000!
Netherlands-Ukraine: at the end of the suspense, the Oranges snatch victory
In the Johan-Cruyff stadium, – where many supporters have given their support to the Danish Christian Eriksen, former Ajax player (2010-2013), whose condition remains stable after a cardiac arrest on the pitch on Saturday -, the The Dutch team have long been domineering, despite the absence of several major players, including Matthijs de Ligt, the defense boss who is slowly recovering from a groin injury.
Superior in the game, more present in the duels, they entered the match at a hundred miles an hour, and created a good half-dozen chances in the first period. The man of the first half was clearly Ukrainian number 1 Georgiy Bushchan. The Dynamo Kiev goalkeeper first avoided the knockout entry by folding on a Depay shot in the 2e minute, before making a high-class reflex parade three minutes later against Dumfries.
He then made other decisive outings and saves, notably on an attempt by Georginio Wijnaldum (39e), the Dutch captain in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, injured for several months. Result: a 0-0 at the break which did not reflect the superiority of “Oranje”.
Dumfries, strong head
Ukraine let go in the opening minutes of the second period. On a block, Dumfries crossed from the penalty spot. Bushchan came out well to repel the ball, but Wijnaldum appeared from far behind the defense to score with a shot from the edge of the box (1-0, 52e).
Six minutes later, Wout Weghorst opportunistically resumed a ball badly repelled by the defense on an infiltration of Dumfries (2-0, 58e). In view of his physiognomy, the match seemed folded.
It was without counting on the fighting spirit of Andriy Shevchenko’s players. West Ham striker Andriy Yarmolenko first closed the gap (2-1, 75e) with a superb rolled shot with the left foot from about twenty meters. Then, four minutes later, Roman Yaremchuk victoriously recovered from the penalty spot a free kick well taken by Malinovskyi (2-2, 79e).
Cooled down but not extinguished, the Dutch set out again to attack the Ukrainian goal. And Denzel Dumfries emerged to place a masterful header, and ultimately deliver a deserved victory for the Netherlands (3-2, 85e).
“It shows our mentality”
“Winning in our stadium in Amsterdam is obviously great, described Wout Weghorst, scorer of the Dutch second goal. We were better for most of the game (…), and then there were five minutes where we weren’t good at all. We almost gave them the match. Fortunately we managed to turn the situation around. It shows our mentality, we played to the end for the victory, and it is totally deserved ”.
“I really liked the reaction of my team when they were down 2-0, Ukrainian coach Andriy Shevchenko said. And now we’re disappointed, because when you have a good chance of pulling a draw, eventually you make a mistake. (…) But my players showed character, they put all their energy “.
With 3 points, the Netherlands join, at the head of group C, Austria, winner in the afternoon, North Macedonia (3-1). The two teams will challenge each other in Amsterdam on Thursday. The defeated will face each other on the same day in Bucharest, where modest North Macedonia will again be able to count on its captain Goran Pandev (37), who became the second oldest scorer in Euro history on Sunday. .
England avoids the Croatian trap (1-0)
In group D, England succeeded, on Sunday, in its entry into contention against Croatia in its Wembley stadium (1-0), while awaiting the duel between Scotland and the Czech Republic, on Monday afternoon, in the other group game.
Faced with disappointing vice-world champions, the English have finally broken the curse of the first matches at the Euro, ideally launching a competition that they could play almost entirely at home. The tenth will therefore have been the right one for a country that has always been beaten or held in check, until then, for its entry into the contests of continental competition.
A hard-fought success under the hot pre-summer London sun, but deserved in view of the selflessness and generous efforts developed by the men of Gareth Southgate.
The only English goal was scored by Raheem Sterling, who spent his childhood in the Brent district, in the shadow of the legendary London enclosure. “I had to score in my garden and I’m glad I did”, savored the English striker, who perfectly replaced his captain Harry Kane, very discreet.
It must be said that the latter, former teammate of Christian Eriksen at Tottenham, seemed affected by the mishap suffered by his former partner, to whom he paid tribute on Twitter: “Chris, I send all my love to you and yours. Be strong, mate ”.