The Netherlands secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Romania in their round of 16 clash on Tuesday, advancing to the Euro quarterfinals for the first time since 2008. The match, characterized by a dominant display from the Dutch team, saw Cody Gakpo adding to his goal tally and Donyell Malen scoring a late double to seal the win.
Dominant Display from the Dutch
Despite losing 3-2 to Austria in their previous match, the Netherlands bounced back with an impressive performance against Romania. The Dutch controlled two-thirds of possession and recorded nearly five times more attempts on goal than their opponents, amassing a total of 24 shots.
Romania initially controlled the tempo in the first quarter of an hour, but the Netherlands soon took charge. Virgil van Dijk came close to scoring with a header that struck the post, signaling the Dutch intent to dominate the match.
Key Contributions from Gakpo and Malen
Cody Gakpo, who has been in scintillating form throughout the tournament, netted his third goal, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Donyell Malen then sealed the victory with two late goals. The first came in the 83rd minute when Gakpo set up Malen, who made no mistake in finding the back of the net. Malen’s second goal arrived in stoppage time, putting the game firmly out of Romania's reach.
"We could have scored a lot more," reflected Van Dijk after the match. "After a turbulent week, where a lot was said, we had to show something and we did that. We are self-critical and we knew it had to be a lot better after the last game and everyone had to take responsibility and today they showed they wanted to."
Romania Analyzed and Outplayed
Coach Ronald Koeman praised the strategic execution by his team. "We had analysed Romania well," he said. "Belgium showed us there was a lot of space to exploit [against Romania]. But it took a long time before we got the second goal."
Despite Romania’s efforts, they failed to break through the Dutch defense. Koeman added, "I wasn't scared they'd equalize because we defended so well. I thought Xavi Simons was our best player too, he drove the team forward and was nice and aggressive."
Looking Ahead
With this performance, the Netherlands have sent a strong message to their future opponents. Reflecting on the match, Gakpo remarked, "This was the answer we had to our last performance -- good game, good goals, we played good football."
The team will now prepare for their quarter-final clash against either Austria or Turkey, set to take place in Berlin on Saturday. Gakpo remains cautiously optimistic, "Of course we could do better but a good showing after the last game. A good step in that next direction. We felt we were in control even though they were a dangerous opponent."
As the Netherlands gear up for the upcoming challenge, the team will look to build on this solid performance. With key players like Gakpo and Malen in fine form and a defense marshaled effectively by Van Dijk, the Dutch side has its sights set on progressing further in the tournament.