The Netherlands does not want to speculate on the goodbye of the hostess
The ‘Oranje’ need a point to get their ticket to the round of 16 against a Qatar that wants to say goodbye to ‘their’ World Cup with a smile
MADRID, 28 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Dutch team will face this Tuesday (4:00 p.m.) the third and final date of Group A of the World Cup against the hosts Qatar, already eliminated from ‘their’ tournament and who will seek to live a satisfactory farewell to it, while the ‘Oranje’, who With a tie, it is a team in the round of 16, it does not want to let the leadership slip away, for which it needs to win and do it by more goals than Ecuador, second in this list of teams also with four points.
The team coached by Louis Van Gaal got off to a good start with a win (0-2) in their World Cup debut against Senegal. However, they could not improve their performance against Ecuador on the second day (1-1), wasting a great opportunity to certify their presence in the round of 16, after the opening goal by striker Cody Gakpo. Then, given the doubts of the Dutch, the leading figure of the current ‘pichichi’ (3) of the World Cup, Ener Valencia, emerged with the equalizer when Ecuador was far from the final tie.
The Europeans will have to improve the version shown so far, with a lot of ball but little depth, perhaps caused by the absence of a level ‘9’. That’s when Barça’s Memphis Depay appears, who could make his first start against the hosts and be that much-needed piece in the ‘Oranje’ attack, due to his ability to combine and face.
The Netherlands, which only needs one point against the host, already eliminated, to advance to the round of 16, would present some change with respect to the starting ‘eleven’ that drew against the ‘Tri’. In addition to the possible entry of Depay, Van Gaal could again include De Ligt in the starting team. The center-back was already ‘punished’ against Ecuador, although his hierarchy would make him go back behind with Nathan Aké and Virgil Van Dijk.
The midfielders led by Frenkie de Jong should also take a step forward, with a somewhat mediocre performance on the second day. His hinge function seems key against a Qatar without much brilliance in the midfield, without the very low level of his next rival causing them a dangerous relaxation.
That long-awaited point for a team that has the ceiling of runner-up as a ceiling should not be a difficult goal, since they have only lost one of their last 25 international matches, with 18 wins and six draws. This Tuesday will be the first confrontation between the Netherlands and Qatar, with an Asian team that faces its last game in the World Cup.
Despite the high expectations generated as host and Asian champion in 2019, Qatar has not lived up to the task, perhaps underperforming. She started her World Cup career as the ‘Cinderella’ of Group A, a condition that she has confirmed in two poor first days.
After a resounding defeat in the opening game (0-2) against Ecuador, Qatar and its somewhat disordered football could not cope with the physical strength of Senegal in their last game (1-3). However, he was able to celebrate the first goal for the Asian team in a World Cup, the work of Mohammed Muntari, with a great header.
Now they will have the opportunity to give the local public a joy to say goodbye to their participation in Qatar 2022 in the best possible way, and thus acting as a judge of the future of the group. His coach, Félix Sánchez, avoided calling Qatar’s performance in ‘his’ World Cup a failure, despite being the worst host in the tournament’s 92-year history, becoming the first nation to host the World Cup to lose all their matches.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
PAÍSES BAJOS: Noppert; De Ligt, Van Dijk, Ake; Dumfries, Klaasen, De Jong, Blind; Bergwijn, Depay y Gakpo.
CATAR: Al-Sheeb; Pedro Miguel, Mohammed, Khoukhi, Hassan, Ahmed; Al-Haydos, Boudiaf, Madibo; Almoez and Afif
–REFEREE: Bakary Gassama (GAM)
–ESTADIO: Al Bayt Stadium.
–TIME: 4:00 p.m./World Goal and Movistar+.