The Dutch national team has won the goodbye match against Georgia 3-0. The the Dutch squad already took a 1-0 lead in De Grolsch Veste after an unconvincing first half due to a striking penalty by Memphis Depay and after the break, the first international goals by Wout Weghorst and substitute Ryan Gravenberch led to a big win. For the team of national coach Frank de Boer, the first match at the European Championship awaits next Sunday, when Ukraine comes to visit the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
De Boer made two changes from his line-up in the game against Scotland, which ended 2-2 on Wednesday. Daley Blind replaced the injured Matthijs de Ligt, while Maarten Stekelenburg defended the goal instead of Tim Krul. The Ajax goalkeeper had to work early in his first international match since November 13, 2016, when Saba Lobzhanidze showed up in front of him. Stekelenburg emerged as the winner, after which the the Dutch quickly took the lead. Denzel Dumfries was knocked out inside the penalty area by Lasha Dvali, prompting Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts to award a penalty.
The Netherlands takes the lead against Georgia. Depay uses a penalty kick, flawless: 1-0.
Dumfries was knocked over in the penalty area and the ball went on the spot. #nedgeo pic.twitter.com/iMod239kfU
— NOS Football (@NOS Football) June 6, 2021
Depay shot the opening goal against the ropes from eleven meters and became the first player since Robin van Persie in October 2013 to find the net in four consecutive international matches. Shortly afterwards he was very close to his second goal of the evening after a sharp cross from Dumfries, but goalkeeper Giorgi Loria tapped the ball out of the goal. As the first half progressed, Georgia got stronger and the visitors popped up inside the penalty area several times. With exactly thirty minutes on the clock, Valerian Gvilia had the ball for the shot, but the the Dutch was lucky that the midfielder of Legia Warsaw did not hit the ball well.
Before half time, Wout Weghorst forced Loria to a save with a shot that was watched, while a shot by Frenkie de Jong went over. De Boer brought in Nathan Aké for Blind at half time and soon saw his team take the lead in the second half. Depay served Weghorst, who placed the ball diagonally in the top left corner from close range. The VfL Wolfsburg striker went completely crazy after his goal, showed himself delirious with joy and seemed briefly emotional. Shortly afterwards, De Boer decided to take Weghorst aside for Donyell Malen, much to the dissatisfaction of the striker himself.
A very happy Weghorst has his first goal in the Dutch! He makes it 2-0 against Georgia. #nedgeo pic.twitter.com/yLnfoaLmtN
— NOS Football (@NOS Football) June 6, 2021
During the second half, Georgia seemed to be broken, which gave the the Dutch more and more opportunities. After Dumfries (side net), Stefan de Vrij (header wide), Depay (shot stopped by Loria) and De Roon (volley next to the goal) had missed opportunities on the 3-0, substitute Gravenberch increased with fifteen minutes to play. the margin. Loria saved a shot from Depay, after which the Ajax midfielder headed his first international goal against the ropes from close by. Georgia was closest to scoring in the final phase when a shot from Jaba Jigauri hit the crossbar.
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