Denzel Dumfries and Memphis Depay shine as Netherlands sink Austria
Dumfries #Dumfries
The Netherlands are into the last-16 via the kind of solid display which is just fine during a tournament’s group stage. Frank de Boer entered Euro 2020 much maligned for his deployment of a 3-5-2, and that scepticism was hardly eased by a wobbly opening victory. Yet following a win built on the rock-solid Matthijs de Ligt in defence, De Boer’s men have given him the best riposte to critics: six points from six. It also means that players can be rested when North Macedonia visit on Monday.
It was a sultry evening for the contest, with temperatures in the high 20s. De Boer had decided to retain the 3-5-2 that had been shaky against Ukraine, as De Ligt returned from injury for Jurriën Timber at centre-back. Being able to field their first-choice defender meant there would be even less excuse should a rearguard that allowed a 2-0 lead to slip in four minutes on Sunday again prove a liability.
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A liability was what Marko Arnautovic had been when drawing a one-match ban for insulting Ezgjan Alioski, too, as it meant Franco Foda missed one of his two A-list talents. He responded by drafting in Michael Gregoritsch for Sasa Kalajdzic from the win over North Macedonia. Foda’s other star player – and captain – is the Real Madrid-bound David Alaba, who, lining up in a three-man defence, had the task of ensuring teammates were not affected by the wall of sound at kick-off.
They were not but Alaba himself may have been, because an early error gave the Netherlands the chance to take the lead. Denzel Dumfries nipped the ball ahead of the 28-year-old, whose challenge took the wing-back down in Austria’s penalty area.
Once VAR instructed Orel Grinfeld to study the monitor there was only one verdict: the referee was correct to award the spot-kick as Alaba clearly stamped on Dumfries’s foot. Up stepped Memphis Depay to roll home the penalty for his first goal of the tournament.
Conceding was a shame for Austria, who had shown flashes of silkiness. The 35-year-old Andreas Ulmer had looked to glide in behind along the left wing-back’s flank while Xaver Schlager probed from midfield, one slick step-over that wrongfooted a band of orange shirts suggesting a schemer’s eye.
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Alaba, though, was not performing well. When Dumfries took a loose throw-in he let the ball bounce, a hapless decision that allowed Depay to swoop in on Bachmann’s goal before unleashing an effort that rippled the side-netting.
Austria had to be careful: concede a second goal and the match might race away from then.
At the other end De Ligt got his head in the way of a Christoph Baumgartner shot and the two were soon again involved. When the Austrian curved across the area De Ligt’s timing to slide in and take the ball was imperious and a fine illustration of his class.
Depay has his own touch of the stuff although it was absent when he missed a glaring chance. Patrick van Aanholt fizzed a diagonal into Wout Weghorst, who squared the ball to his teammate but Depay could only stab at it from four yards out. Moments later Van Aanholt teed up Georginio Wijnaldum, yet from close range the finish again lacked conviction.
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De Boer’s men kicked off the second half 45 minutes from qualifying. First, though, they had some scrambling to do. Daley Blind, who might have been the fall guy for De Ligt, was shown up by Konrad Laimer, whose galloping run down the right allowed him to cross. Blind could thank De Ligt for saving him: the centre-back’s positioning was perfect and he hoofed clear.
Austria were dominating as they had before the break. Schlager, Marcel Sabitzer and Laimer led a black-shirted passage played inside their opponent’s half, and although Wijnaldum did soon find himself in enemy territory, his hashed through ball was particularly wasteful.
That woke the Netherlands up, though. A Depay corner was floated in and pinball ensued: Weghorst headed to Stefan de Vrij, whose header was repelled by Bachmann before De Light’s shot on the rebound appear to have the keeper beaten only for the ball to be deflected away.
And then came a second goal for the Netherlands, this time created by Depay. The forward swivelled and played a neat pass to the in-running Donyell Malen, who had been brought on as a substitute. He skated forward and coolly rolled the ball right to Dumfries, who made no mistake.
Austria pressed to the end and Alaba went close with a shot, but the bottom line is they must now beat Ukraine to guarantee passage to the last 16. That will not be an easy task, but it will at least be a highly watchable shootout.