Dutch showcase their quality to romp past the Finns and close in on World Cup qualification
A glance at the scorelines will tell you that the Netherlands won both their World Cup qualifying fixtures this international break by a 4-0 margin. That’s where the similarities end. Where Thursday’s visit to Malta was a torpid affair, described as ‘rubbish’ by the TV analysts in their post-mortems, the Dutch flattened Finland in Amsterdam on Sunday evening, claiming a two-goal lead inside twenty minutes and cutting Finland’s defence to ribbons.
The result moves the Netherlands to the brink of qualification for next summer’s World Cup in North America, Oranje’s superior goal difference meaning a draw against Poland in Warsaw next month would de facto secure their spot with a game to spare. Yet Ronald Koeman’s side entered Sunday in need of a convincing win to change the mood music after a string of dodgy outings this autumn, with questions circling about Koeman’s ability to turn the Netherlands’ collection of blue-chip talent into title contenders.
There were three changes from Thursday’s lineup, Donyell Malen and Justin Kluivert joining Memphis Depay– unavailable to start against Malta because of a lost passport– in the Dutch attack. Finland’s manager Jacob Friis had assembled a five-man backline to contain the Dutch forwards, yet the hosts were able to find holes from the off, Denzel Dumfries and Cody Gakpo keeping the pitch wide while Kluivert and Malen found open spaces underneath.
The Netherlands had an attacking fluidity which Finland simply couldn’t cope with. A fine example of that fluency produced the opening goal in the eighth minute. Kluivert found Malen on the edge of the box, with the Aston Villa forward playing a one-two with Depay before hitting a curled shot which Finnish goalkeeper Jesse Juronen got a hand to but could not repel. It was Malen’s twelfth goal in a Dutch shirt but only his second as a starter, rewarding Koeman’s decision to give him a place on the teamsheet.
Malen was also involved in the second Oranje goal just past the quarter-hour mark, winning a free kick after squirming through two white-shirted Finnish defenders. The ensuing set-piece was indifferently defended by Friis’ charges, who allowed Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk to steal in unmarked and direct a stooping header into the back of the net. With less than half of the first period played, the points already felt secure, the Johan Cruijff ArenA content to start doing the wave under grey early-evening skies.
The Dutch players remained hungry. Joronen had a torrid time, Dutch players flying at him whenever the ball was at his feet and causing a litany of poor clearances which helped keep the ball moving towards the Finnish goal. Malen glanced a header just wide and Jurriën Timber rattled the crossbar before referee Slavko Vincic awarded a Dutch penalty for a Miro Tenho handball. Depay– playing his first home match since breaking Robin van Persie’s record to become the Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer– coolly passed his spot kick into the corner of the net to put the hosts into a deserved 3-0 halftime lead.
Finland were never allowed to establish any kind of rhythm, or even put together three passes without an orange shirt popping up. Partly, that reflected the gulf in quality between the two sides. Finland– 71st in FIFA’s World Rankings– did not have a single player from Europe’s top five leagues in their starting eleven, while seven of the Dutch lineup were regulars at clubs in this season’s Champions League. Koeman had the luxury of swapping in Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders for Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch at the break; Friis’ options were less enticing, though he curiously left Finland’s record goalscorer Teemu Pukki on the bench.
The second half proceeded in a more ambling tempo, with Frenkie de Jong controlling things in midfield as he did on this pitch in Ajax’s glory years under Erik ten Hag. The Barcelona man had free rein to scan, pirouette, play delicate balls with the outside of his right boot, and he set up what the Dutch thought was their fourth goal in the 65th minute. De Jong’s lofted ball released Malen on the right, who squared for substitute Wout Weghorst to tap home, but Malen was flagged for offside.
The Netherlands’ fourth did end up coming, and in some style, though not before sections of the orange-shirted masses had started leaving the ArenA. Gakpo drifted into an unmarked seam of space just outside the penalty area and took one touch from Xavi Simons’ pass before smashing a rising drive off the inside of the woodwork and into the net. Minutes later, Oranje almost added a fifth, Kluivert’s free-kick narrowly missing the target.
For Finland, a berth at their first World Cup finals will have to wait another four years at least. Koeman already seemed to be looking ahead to next summer in his post-match comments. “This has to be the lower limit,” said the Dutch manager of his team’s outing. The tests in North America will be of a different calibre, but the Netherlands can start booking their flights.
Inthehalfspace 