European Championship qualification 2024: Netherlands’ Notelf takes a deep breath – Sport

Not much would have been missing, then it would have been five to twelve for Dutch football when the final whistle blew on Monday night at 11:47 p.m. local time in Athens. Qualification for the 2024 European Championships in Germany was at stake, and there was actually a threat of an apocalyptic goal in the final phase.

But because the orange-clad defense chief Virgil van Dijk converted a penalty in the third minute of stoppage time, the Netherlands won 1-0 against hosts Greece and now have two match points: They can finally secure their participation in the European Championship against Ireland in November or afterwards in Gibraltar to back up. This would definitely be an advantage in order to avoid mocking chants from German fans next summer; the local favorite line “Without Holland we’ll go to the European Championships” makes no sense at a home tournament anyway.

Ten Dutch footballers are currently playing in the German Bundesliga. This makes Dutch professionals currently the sixth largest foreign group after the French (29), Austrians (27), Danes (13), Swiss (12) and Belgians (11). Of these ten, Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt, Leverkusen winger Jeremie Frimpong, Leipzig attack whirlwind Xavi Simons, Dortmund winger Donyell Malen and Hoffenheim center forward Wout Weghorst have the best chances of playing European Championship games in the Orange dress in Bundesliga stadiums may; de Ligt, Simons and Malen possibly even in their adopted home arena.

The reference year for Holland’s EM mission is 1988

Simons, Weghorst, Malen and Frimpong were also in the Dutch squad on Monday evening, which is worth mentioning as bond coach Ronald Koeman was missing several other relevant players due to injuries: goalkeeper Mark Flekken (Brentford), central defender de Ligt, midfielder Frenkie de Jong (FC Barcelona) as well as the attackers Memphis Depay (Atletico Madrid) and Cody Gakpo (Liverpool FC). The mandate of the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) was therefore to push ahead with qualification for the tournament with a skeleton crew, in which the Dutch with the best line-up could then be counted among the extended circle of favorites.

As is well known, the neighbors have had good experiences with tournaments in Germany over half a century: in 1974 they lost the World Cup final in Munich against the hosts; In 1988 they won the European Championship final in Munich against the Soviet Union (the only Dutch title to date). Only in 2006 did they lose to Portugal in the round of 16 at the World Cup in Nuremberg.

Dutch football also owes the fact that it will probably be able to play its fourth tournament in Germany next year to the rapid developments at champions Feyenoord Rotterdam. Its three players, Lutsharel Geertruida, Mats Wieffer and Quilindschy Hartman, have not only been celebrating success in the club for months, but have recently also formed the pillars of the national team. Defender Geertruida was there when Feyenoord played the 2022 Conference League final against AS Roma (and lost 1-0), and midfielders Wieffer and Hartman were also involved when Feyenoord became Dutch champions with three games to go in May. The club is currently playing in the Champions League with good prospects.

Coach Koeman complains about sloppiness on the pitch

On Monday in Athens, all three players in their mid-twenties were in the starting line-up, with Feyenoord playmaker Calvin Stengs also watching from the bench. Rotterdam coach Arne Slot, who is considered the next big Dutch coaching export for the English Premier League, has to be described as the most important assistant for bond coach Ronald Koeman. And Ajax? Is currently third from bottom under his new coach Maurice Steijn. The balance of power in the Eredivisie is currently being rearranged.

By the way, coach Koeman wasn’t seen all that exuberant in Athens given the impending European Championship qualification. He was also impressed by the narrow and late victory of the world number seven against the world number 51. Greece turned out to be far too difficult. “I saw things that I don’t want to see,” he said sternly about his boys’ sometimes seemingly chaotic offensive game. “We should have decided the game much earlier.” But he apparently lacked discipline in the team. “The players stopped thinking about positions, we became sloppy and played a bit all or nothing.” Great Greek chances actually came close to turning everything into nothing. But the Dutch are now taking a deep breath.