“You’ve practiced on penalties all year and then you mess it up with the penalties. That’s a pity,” Van Gaal said afterwards in a short reaction to the NOS.
The Orange had a dramatic start to the decisive penalty series: captain Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis saw their efforts turned by the Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. Argentina converted all penalties until Enzo Fernández missed on the fourth attempt.
The Orange could therefore still hope for a new escape, after Wout Weghorst had cleared a 2-0 deficit by two goals in the final phase of regular playing time. Luuk de Jong scored from 11 meters, but Lautaro Martínez did the same. As a result, the curtain fell for Orange.
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In the run-up to the tournament, Van Gaal had, among other things, enlisted the help of former volleyball national coach Peter Murphy to prevent a penalty drama like in 2014. Then the Orange also lost to Argentina in the semifinals.
Van Gaal did not regard the new blunder as a personal failure. “As a coach I want to have everything under control. I have asked my players to take penalties at the clubs. They all have done that.”
“And then you miss the first two. Then you don’t win anymore. If you miss one, you can still do it. Argentina also missed one. You can’t simulate the moment. I said that before. You can automate, but not the pressure. That’s the big difference.”
‘We don’t lose because of the referee’
Afterwards, Van Gaal was critical of the Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, who claimed a leading role in the heated match in Lusail. Lahoz not only drew eighteen yellow cards and one red (after the game for Denzel Dumfries), but also awarded a penalty to Argentina fifteen minutes before the end due to a minor foul by Dumfries. Messi then made it 2-0 from 11 meters.
“I want to see it again, that penalty. And all the time wasted by the Argentines…”, Van Gaal sighed, who did not want to blame Lahoz for the elimination. “We don’t lose because of the referee, because we still play a draw. In the end you go out after penalties.”
Van Gaal was impressed by the Orange comeback, which was initiated by two late goals from substitute Weghorst. “We intervened and came back fantastically. I did not select Wout for nothing. Opinions were divided about that. He is a golden boy, will always go all the way and can score.”
Weghorst’s golden substitution was therefore not enough. According to Van Gaal, there was a “terrible mood” in the dressing room afterwards. For the 71-year-old from Amsterdam, his trainer career is normally over. This World Cup was his last tournament as a coach. He will make way for Ronald Koeman at the Orange squad.
“I just thanked all the players,” said Van Gaal. “It is the best group I have ever had in my coaching career. It was a gift at a late age. It is a pity that we are not through.”
2:19
Eerder
09 dec 2022 om 23:15
Aké zit erdoorheen na uitschakeling Oranje: ‘Heel moeilijk om zo te verliezen’
