Netherlands finally make a statement in World Cup qualifiers with big win over Gibraltar
As far as the term ‘fallen giants’ goes, no team readily comes to mind in recent years than the Netherlands. The Oranje have flattered to deceive since reaching the final of the 2010 World Cup.
They managed to finish third at the 2014 World Cup but it’s been disappointment after disappointment since then. However, the Netherlands are now on a renaissance journey and signs have been positive so far.
On Tuesday, they trounced Gibraltar 7-0 to record their second consecutive win in the Qatar 2022 World Cup European qualifiers. This came after a 2-0 win over Latvia on Saturday, March 27.
These two wins have propelled Frank de Boer’s side to second in Group G, and they trail Turkey by a single point.
Netherlands make statement with win over Gibraltar
Victory over Latvia and Gibraltar was routine but the latter was more of a statement. Having underwhelmed in recent years, this is the perfect result to announce their return to their usual self.
The Netherlands scored seven goals against the minnows, with six different players getting on the scoresheet. Memphis Depay scored twice while Steven Berghuis, Gini Wijnaldum, Luuk de Jong, Donyell Malen and Donny van de Beek also got on the scoresheet.
Ahead of the game, De Boer said his side needed to score at least five goals and his players responded with a comprehensive performance.
"We want to try to bait the opponents to leave their defensive positions, so we can profit from the open spaces through quick combinations. I don't believe that more attackers equals more opportunities,” De Boer said before the game, as quoted by BeSoccer.
“Norway have beaten them 3-0; Gibraltar lost their most recent away match 4-1. We need to make sure the tempo stays high. We can't let them breathe. We need to score at least five times, but preferably more."
Gibraltar are more like the whipping boys of the group, which means not much can be read into this win. However, it helps the Netherlands to build momentum ahead of the Euros.