There will be a big Dutch party in Munich tonight as the Netherlands produced an impressive display over Romania to come out victorious with a 3-0 margin. It was a strong team performance from Ronald Koeman’s side who finally unleashed their true potential in the European Championship. A quarter-final tie against either Austria or Turkey awaits the Netherlands now.
Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo opened the scoring 20 minutes in, with a wonderful finish cutting in from the left flank. Following that, there was a plethora of chances for the winners to double their lead which was eventually accomplished by Donyell Malen in the 83ʳᵈ minute. Malen then came up with another splendid goal a minute from the final whistle which ensured Romania’s elimination.
Cody Gakpo continues his excellent record with the national team
The Dutch supporters were witness to a masterclass from their 25-year-old star, Cody Gakpo. The Liverpool man was a constant menace to the Romanian defenders with his quick feet and trickery. His brilliance has not been a case of one match in the tournament, where Gakpo has registered a strong case for being the player of the competition. “This was a great reaction to the previous game.”, were the words of Gakpo after being awarded the Man of the Match.
The first-half goal takes Cody Gakpo’s tally in the UEFA Euro Cup 2024 to three goals. Apart from his prowess in front of the goal, Gakpo also proved to be fruitful as a creator, assisting Donyell Malen’s first goal. Kylian Mbappe is the only European player to find the back of the net more times than Gakpo in the last two major international tournaments.
Ronald Koeman provides the Netherlands with a massive tactical advantage
Tactics often tend to take a backseat in the international competitions. Coaches, usually, opt to rely more on individual quality to prevail and adopt a conservative approach. As evident from the contest with Romania, Ronald Koeman implemented a very fluid technique which translated to a fluid style of soccer from the Dutch.
The Netherlands started with a 4-3-3 formation which changed into a 3-4-3 as the game progressed. Denzel Dumfries and Cody Gakpo enjoyed great success on the two flanks, creating overloads in the wide areas. It was no surprise that the majority of the threat from the Dutch came from outwide. The former FC Barcelona manager has given a real warning shot to the remaining teams in Euro 2024.