Game in Amsterdam
“We want more”: Netherlands storm into the last sixteen – Austria must tremble
Memphis Depay after his 1-0 win for the Netherlands in the European Championship preliminary round against Austria
© Olaf Kraak / Getty Images
The Netherlands celebrate their second win in the second game on their comeback on the big stage and grab first place in Group C. The goal scorer to 2-0 is already striving for more after the convincing success against Austria.
Led by their coach Frank de Boer, the players of the Dutch national team went on the lap of honor through the Amsterdam Arena after the final whistle. Austria’s banned Marko Arnautovic meanwhile looked frustrated at the result on the video cube. With offensive football, some of which were enthusiastic, the Netherlands stormed into the European Championship semi-finals ahead of schedule. The Oranje team won 2-0 (1-0) against Austria on Thursday evening in Amsterdam and seven years after their last participation in a major tournament, they are increasingly becoming one of the favorites.
Netherlands in the European Championship round of 16: “We want more”
The man of the match goalscorer Denzel Dumfries found the second win in the second game “fantastic”, which means that the Dutch have already secured first place in the group. “But the focus remains high. We want more.” Before Dumfries (67th minute) in front of 15,243 spectators, Memphis Depay had already hit with a penalty (11th) for the highly superior Elftal, who missed a clearer victory.
For the disappointing Austrians, on the last matchday of Group C on Monday against Ukraine, it’s about second place and progress. “We’re going to Bucharest to win and play our game again,” said captain David Alaba. North Macedonia, newcomer to the European Championship, has no chance of making it to the round of 16.
The Dutch got off to a dream start in the Amsterdam Arena. After a foul by David Alaba on Dumfries, the Israeli referee Orel Grinfeeld rightly decided on a penalty kick after the video assistant’s advice and his own view of the images. Depay sure turned to the early Oranje leadership. Alaba called his mistake “bitter”. “I’m a little too aggressive.” But he is “proud” of his team, which did not let it “confuse” them.
The team from Bondscoach de Boer had the game under control. On the defensive, Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus Turin, who had recovered from a groin injury, provided additional stability. In the game forward, the strong Frenkie de Jong and Georginio Wijnaldum always set highlights worth seeing.
On the other hand, there wasn’t much to be seen from the Austrians offensively. After the fuss about Arnautovic’s suspension, Austria coach Franco Foda took Michael Gregoritsch by storm. The Augsburg player had drawn attention to himself with a goal in the 3-1 opening game against North Macedonia like Arnautovic after his substitution and ousted Sasa Kalajdzic from Stuttgart. After a good hour he was replaced by the two-meter man from VfB.
Austria harmless without Arnautovic
Arnautovic watched the game from the stands behind the Austrian bench. The former Bremer would have been in the first eleven in Amsterdam, as Foda had said before the game. But after his insulting cheers against North Macedonia, the striker was banned from a game, much to the lack of understanding of the Austrians. With his aggressive style of play, he would have done the Austria game good.
On the defensive, Foda had again relied on a three-way chain with Alaba as the central player. But the Austrian star, who moved from Bayern Munich to Real Madrid, had a bad day. First he caused the penalty against Dumfries, a little later he underestimated a long ball in a duel with Depay, which the Olympique Lyon striker almost used to make it 2-0.
Five minutes before the break, Depay should have increased the Dutchman’s lead. After a fine pass from Wolfsburg’s Wout Weghorst, he didn’t hit the empty goal. Because shortly afterwards Wijnaldum missed the next top chance, the Dutch only went into the break with a narrow lead.
In the second half, the Austrians started more courageously, but initially they were not more dangerous. Instead, Stefan de Vrij and de Ligt gave the hosts a good double chance (61st). Foda brought Kalajdzic on for the offensive, but the goal was scored by the Dutch. Depay sent Donyell Malen, who had just been substituted, over the left side, who served Dumfries – and he hit flat to make it 2-0. The Austrians gave the best chances to Alaba (81st) and Karim Onisiwo (84th) from Mainz.
