A strong first half helped the Netherlands to their fifth victory in World Cup qualifying for the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico. For Finland, striker Memphis Depay in particular was a bit too big in the clear 0:4 (0:3) defeat.
The Netherlands have taken a big step towards the 2026 World Cup. In the competitive Group G, coach Ronald Koeman’s team was able to move further away from second-placed Poland with a clear 3-0 win. The goals were scored by Donyell Malen (8th minute), captain Virgil van Dijk (17th) and Memphis Depay with a hand penalty (38th). Cody Gakpo (84th) finished off the game with a nice long-range shot.
After just eight minutes, the fans in the Johan Cruijff Arena were able to cheer for the first time. After a nice one-two with Depay, Malen scored from almost 18 meters to take the early 1-0 lead. It was only the second goal from the starting line-up for the nominal joker goal specialist (10 goals). Finland’s goalkeeper Jesse Joronen didn’t look the happiest when conceding the goal.
Score two goals within nine minutes Preliminary decision
The Finnish team continued to struggle and had to deal with their second goal after 17 minutes. Captain van Dijk took advantage of a beautiful cross from Depay for his 11th international goal and the 2-0 lead. The 31-year-old Depay collected his second assist on a goal.
In the 38th minute, the striker crowned his strong performance with a goal of his own. After a free kick, the ball fell at the feet of Justin Kluivert, who shot and hit Finnish defender Ville Koski in the arm – a clear decision for referee Slavko Vincic. Depay easily placed the penalty in the bottom right corner, no chance for Joronen.
Depay impressed with a goal and two assists
The second half then became noticeably flat and the hosts managed the lead without shining. In the 61st minute, Depay, the man of the game, received a standing ovation from the audience after a goal and two assists. Five minutes later, the former Dortmund player Malen was able to celebrate for the second time, but only briefly, as the goal was canceled by VAR due to an offside situation.
Shortly before the end of the game, Liverpool’s Gakpo provided another highlight. The 26-year-old hit the ball ideally and circled the ball into the bottom left corner from around 17 meters. The guests then fought for a consolation goal, but they were unable to score it.
Netherlands put Poland under pressure in the long-distance duel
With the clear home win, the Netherlands are putting second-placed Poland under pressure in the long-distance duel for qualification. Superstar Robert Lewandowski’s team plays against Lithuania on matchday 6 and absolutely needs a win to reduce the difference to three points. The two teams will meet on November 14th in Warsaw.