Napoli forward Noa Lang delivered a scathing assessment of the Netherlands national team following a 2-2 draw against Greece, declaring that persistent first-half struggles must end immediately. In reports detailed by Voetbalzone and mirrored across football coverage, Lang stated that Oranje routinely fail to match opponents’ intensity during opening periods, leaving the squad scrambling to recover after the break.
Trailing in Piraeus and Halftime Adjustments
The Dutch side found themselves in deep trouble during the European qualifier in Greece, heading into the dressing room facing a 2-0 deficit. Head coach Xavi Hernández reacted with fury to the passive display, according to Lang’s post-match analysis with ESPN. The manager’s frustration prompted a triple substitution at halftime, introducing Lang alongside Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Gravenberch in an effort to alter the dynamic on the pitch.
Lang evaluated his own introduction by noting that the tactical changes successfully injected much-needed creativity, flair, and courage into the team’s buildup. The visitors clawed their way back to a 2-2 draw through a much-improved second-half performance, but the recovery did little to mask the lingering anger over how the match began.
Pattern of Slow Starts Threatens Ambitions
The sluggish opening against Greece was not an isolated incident for the Dutch squad. Lang pointed directly to similar first-half deficiencies during recent Nations League fixtures against Germany, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and Serbia, a 1-2 defeat, where the coaching staff similarly had to orchestrate rescues after sluggish starts.
“How we presented ourselves in the first half, that has to stop once and for all. It happens to us too often,” Lang stated. He emphasized that these recurring struggles undermine the team’s stated ambition to establish themselves among international football’s elite.
Demanding a Top-Country Mentality
Reflecting on the gap between ambition and reality, the Napoli attacker argued that wearing the Oranje shirt carries an obligation to dominate opponents regardless of venue. While acknowledging that an away fixture in Greece presents a formidable challenge, Lang maintained that a true top-tier national team must project authority and secure victories in hostile environments.
“Of course, playing Greece away is a tough match, but in my opinion, it is a game that the Netherlands must win,” Lang explained. He suggested that complacency may have crept into the squad’s preparation, noting that the team may have subconsciously approached the fixture with the attitude that success would arrive automatically.
Lang also highlighted that the home side showed greater hunger during the opening 45 minutes. “They wanted it more than us in the first half, and that is a serious matter. Greece plays at home, is enthusiastic, and has momentum. You have to be prepared for that.”
Next Fixtures on the Horizon
The Netherlands must address these structural flaws before returning to competitive action in the upcoming international window.
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