The Juniors are another step closer to participating in the European Championship in 2023. The team of national coach Erwin van de Looi won 0-3 against Moldova on Friday and took over the lead in the European Championship qualifying group from Switzerland.
Quinten Timber opened the scoring early in the Moldovan capital Chisinau. Brian Brobbey doubled the lead fifteen minutes later and was accurate again after an hour of play.
Thanks to the win, the Dutch Juniors have one point more than Switzerland with two games to go. Moldova is third and can no longer qualify for the European Championship for players under 21 years.
The group winners and the best runner-up of the nine groups will qualify directly for the tournament. The other best numbers two also have a chance to win the remaining four European Championship tickets via a play-off.
If the Dutch Juniors also win the last two matches, it will be directly qualified for the European Championship of 2023 in Romania and Georgia. Coming Tuesday, a home game against last-placed Gibraltar is scheduled in Almere and the group stage will be concluded on Saturday 11 June with a game against number five Wales.
Group E . position
- 1. Dutch Juniors 8-20 (+22)
- 2. Young Switzerland 8-19 (+15)
- 3. Young Moldova 9-11 (-5)
- 4. Young Bulgaria 8-9 (0)
- 5. Young Wales 8-8 (0)
- 6. Young Gibraltar 7-0 (-32)
Timber opens score after two minutes
In the Stadionul Zimbru, the Dutch Juniors took the lead in the second minute via Timber. The midfielder found the goal after a smart move from Joshua Zirkzee.
Brobbey made it 0-2 in the seventeenth minute after a transfer from Timber. After less than an hour of play, the attacker scored again. This time, he simply tapped in a rebound after Iurie Iovu slid the ball against his own post. Not much happened after the match.
A few minutes after the third goal, Myron Boadu was allowed to fill in for the Dutch Juniors. The striker was last in the selection in October and was then passed over due to a conflict with Van de Looi.
Jan Paul van Hecke made his debut for the Dutch reserves against Moldova. The defender of Brighton & Hove Albion came in just under twenty minutes before time.
View the results, the position and the program in the European Championship qualification