Everything is ready on Wednesday evening for a festive departure of the Dutch team to the United States for the Football World Cup. ‘Be ready. Be Orange‘, appears in capitals on the facade of the Maas building in front of De Kuip, before the so-called farewell match against Algeria. There is a show with artists, before and after.
But the Dutch will travel to New York with mixed feelings on Thursday afternoon, where they will go on a short training camp. It loses 1-0 to Algeria, number 28 in the FIFA world rankings. It has been 22 years since the Netherlands last lost in an away match, back then for the 2004 European Championship: striker Robbie Keane made it 1-0 for Ireland in Amsterdam.
Now it is substitute Anis Hadj Moussa who, five minutes before the end, beautifully shoots with the left into the far corner for Algeria, out of reach of goalkeeper Robin Roefs. In his typical style, the Feyenoord attacker threatens to go outside first, he surprises his guard Jorrel Hato when he quickly comes inside. The goal is passionately celebrated by the many Algerian fans – the Dutch national coach Ronald Koeman is disappointed in the dug-out.
Algerian fans and players celebrate the goal of striker Anis Hadj Moussa, five minutes before the end.
Photo AP / Patrick Post
Autumnal conditions
Spectators in the uncovered stands of De Kuip take shelter from the hard rain earlier in the evening in ponchos or umbrellas. In those autumnal conditions, the Dutch team tries to build up automatisms, rhythm and confidence for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The games will be played there in the heat, the fields will be dry and therefore slower. In Rotterdam the game is played on a wet, fast turf.
For example, the factors on Wednesday evening are not ideal in preparation for the World Cup – but it does provide an attractive match. What helps is the presence of more than 10,000 Algerian fans, many of them from France. Their fanaticism creates an entertaining and sometimes somewhat grim atmosphere due to fireworks – where the atmosphere at practice matches is usually lackluster.
Attacker Crysencio Summerville stands out in his Dutch debut, not far from the place where he grew up – the Vuurplaat in Rotterdam South. At his club West Ham United he usually plays from the left flank, but Koeman believes he can also play “very well” on the right.
National coach Ronald Koeman during the friendly match against Algeria.
Photo ANP / MAURICE VAN STEEN
He shows that. Summerville regularly looks for action inside, but also creates danger by going outside. With a little more luck he could have had two assists to his name in the first half. From the transition, Summerville lays the ball ready for striker Donyell Malen, but he fails with his timing and misses the big chance. Later, Summerville deftly passes Reijnders, but his shot is stopped in the short corner by goalkeeper Luca Zidane.
Mats Wieffer – originally a midfielder – is still looking for good coordination in his new role as right back. He will play on Wednesday because regular back Denzel Dumfries is suspended, but it is clear that the Dutch team misses his trusted engine on the right flank. Wieffer sometimes looks a bit restless on the ball and defensively he gives away too much space in some situations.
Best attack
The Dutch team gets great opportunities, especially in the first half. Perhaps the best attack comes after eight minutes. Under the high pressure of Algeria, we are patiently building up from the back. Central defender Jan Paul van Hecke plays perfectly through the axis into Summerville, who accelerates and immediately passes to Tijjani Reijnders. This puts Malen into position, the AS Roma attacker shoots the post.
After five changes at halftime, the Dutch team was a lot sloppier in the second half and therefore less dominant. Algeria is more aggressive in personal duels, plays more “with the heart”, says Koeman. “You see the difference between how they experience it and how we experience it,” he says. “I hope we can use this in a good way.”
The Dutch team will play a practice match against Uzbekistan in New York on Monday. The selection then travels to their base camp in Kansas City. The first World Cup match will take place in Dallas against Japan on Sunday, June 14.