Netherlands cannot fly high. This Sunday he could not go from a goalless draw on his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a Group 1 match of League A of the Nations League. The official debut of Frank de Boer on the ‘oranje’ bench, after filling the vacancy he left Ronald Koeman for his departure to Barça, ended with another disappointing result for the Dutch coach after opening with defeat (0-1) in a recent friendly against Mexico.
At the end of the match, the face of Frank de Boer was a poem, aware that more criticism will rain on him in his country because this selection of Netherlands does not finish carburing. In Bosnia, his best player was Frenkie de Jong. The Barça midfielder was able to give victory to the ‘oranje’ with two great chances in the final stretch of the match. In the first (78 '), the goal Sehic sent Barça's shot to a corner and in the subsequent corner kick, Luuk de Jong, Sevilla striker, touched the 0-1 with a great header. The second golden chance of Frenkie to unbalance the 0-0 he arrived in 85 ', but the defender Todorovic blocked a strong shot with goal marking
Without a doubt, the last 20 minutes of the game were the most moving and outstanding of a boring duel in a first half in which both teams did not shoot once on goal and that they rivaled in mistakes. Netherlands clearly had possession of the ball, but his dominance throughout the contest did not translate into goals. Bosnia managed to maintain the type and with the entrance of the veteran battering ram Edin dzeko at game time he began to cheer up in attack, although he lacked clarity in the final meters.
Cillessen's decisive paradón
However, FC Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic had in his boots the 1-0 in the 69th minute, but his strong shot did not reach the back of the net by the huge intervention by Jasper Cillessen. The Valencia goalkeeper was providential in this action.
Shortly after, at minute 74, a Pjanic very tired for his effort he was replaced by Loncar. From that moment on, Bosnia he dedicated himself to holding the 0-0, which the Dutchman could undo Ryan babel in stoppage time (92 '), with a volley shot that went wide. Now to the selection of Frank de Boer A tough litmus test awaits him this coming Wednesday in Bergamo against the dangerous Italy.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sehic; Todorovic, Hadzikadunic, Sanicanin, Kadusic (Kolasinac, m.46); Pjanic (Loncar, m.75), Cimirot, Krunic (Hodzic, m.75); Tatar (Hadziahmetovic, m.54), Gojak and Djuric (Dzeko, m.61).
Netherlands: Cillessen; Dumfries (Hateboer, m.70), De Vrij, Van Dijk, Blind (Ake, m.86); De Roon, Wijnaldum, Frenkie de Jong; Malen (Berghuis, m.70), Luuk de Jong and Promes (Babel, m.86).
Goals: There was no
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (Romania). He admonished Kadusic, De Roon and Hodzic.
Incidents: Group 1 match of League A of the Nations League played at the Bilino Polje stadium in Zenica before about 2,000 spectators.