the Dutch already sure of group win after victory over Austria

Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 10:50 PM• Chris Meijer • Last update: 22:57

The Dutch national team also managed to win its second match at the European Championship. After Ukraine, the team of national coach Frank de Boer defeated Austria 2-0, through goals from Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries. It means that regardless of the result against North Macedonia, which will visit the Johan Cruijff ArenA next Monday, the the Dutch squad is already certain of the first place in Group C, because Ukraine and Austria can no longer come alongside on mutual results. The Netherlands will therefore face a number three from Group D, E or F in the eighth final in the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on June 27.

De Boer made one change in his line-up compared to the won opening game against Ukraine (3-2): Matthijs de Ligt returned to the starting eleven at the expense of Jurriën Timber. His colleague Franco Foda was forced to replace Sasa Kalajdzic with Michael Gregoritsch shortly before kick-off, but his team started the game with the the Dutch with confidence after the victory over North Macedonia (3-1) in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. However, after eleven minutes of play, the home team was helped into the game.

David Alaba stepped inside the penalty area on the foot of Denzel Dumfries and after VAR interference, referee Orel Grinfeld awarded a penalty. Goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann chose the right right corner, but was unable to stop Depay’s effort: 1-0. Depay was then dangerous with a blocked shot and a bet in the side net, until a period came when Austria slowly but surely took the initiative. Matthijs de Ligt had to intervene twice when Christoph Baumgartner appeared in a promising position, while a shot by Martin Hinteregger went high over.

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At the end of the first half, the the Dutch failed to expand the margin. For example, Depay shot over after Wout Weghorst managed to put the ball pretty wide, Georginio Wijnaldum saw a shot after a smooth attack via Patrick van Aanholt be thwarted by Andreas Ulmer and an attempt by Depay was defused by the Austrian defence. Austria also came out of the dressing room sharp after the break, but the first real chance of the second half was for the the Dutch. Weghorst put the ball back well after a far corner, after which a header from Stefan de Vrij was stylishly turned by Bachmann. De Ligt had another chance from the rebound, but his effort went wide via an Austrian leg.

With 64 minutes on the clock, De Boer made a triple substitution: Owen Wijndal, Nathan Aké and Donyell Malen came in for Patrick van Aanholt, Daley Blind and Weghorst. After just three minutes, the change was successful: Malen was sent into the depths, escaped the Austrian defense and once kept the overview in the penalty area. There he served his retired PSV teammate Dumfries, who shot his second goal of the tournament against the ropes for an almost empty goal.

Austria did not give in yet and almost came back into the game shortly after the 2-0, when the ball bounced just wide via a Dutch leg. A shot from Alaba then sailed just wide. In the final phase, De Boer brought in Ryan Gravenberch and Luuk de Jong for Marten de Roon and Depay, but saw that his team only got out a little. Because substitute Karim Onisiwo headed into the hands of goalkeeper Stekelenburg from close by, the the Dutch was spared an extremely exciting final phase. The the Dutch ended the game with ten men, after De Ligt got a cramp and De Boer had already run out of his substitution options.

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