With only three Ajax players in the starting line-up, the Dutch national team has the first World Cup match against Senegal wtours. Just before time, Cody Gakpo made it 0-1 with a striking header in a difficult match. Deep in injury time, Davy Klaassen determined the final score at 0-2.
Not Ajax keeper Remko Pasveer or Feyenoorder Justin Bijlow, but Andries Noppert was allowed to take a seat under the crossbar by national coach Louis van Gaal. For the two-metre-tall goalkeeper, it meant his debut in the Dutch national team. Only one player has previously played his first international match in a World Cup finals. That happened to former Ajax player Dick Schoenaker at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
Chance Bergwijn
The African champion started the game well and created some small opportunities. The first big chance of the game was for the Orange. A cross from Gakpo passed Ajax player Steven Bergwijn just before the goal. Moments later, Frenkie de Jong had the chance to open the score, but after a nice cut, he needed too much time to shoot. Five minutes before the break, Steven Berghuis shot over.
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After it was still 0-0 after fifteen minutes in the second half, Van Gaal decided to intervene. He took former AZ player Vincent Janssen to the side and brought Memphis Depay within the lines. The first minutes for Depay in almost two months, as he was out with an injury.
Meanwhile, Senegal once again reported close to the Orange goal. In the 65th minute, Noppert saved from a dangerous shot by Boulaye Dia in the short corner. Moments later, Idrissa Gueye shot the ball straight at Noppert’s fists.
Klaassen and Koopmeiners in it
In the final phase, Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen and former AZ player Teun Koopmeiners also came on the field.
At a time when the match was about to end at 0-0, Frenkie de Jong turned a cross on Cody Gakpo’s head. The PSV attacker knocked the outgoing keeper Edouard Mendy in the air, who was too late to reach the ball. Barely a minute later, Papa Guye had the 1-1 on the shoe, but Noppert stretched to the bottom left corner and thus secured the first World Cup victory for the Orange. Deep into injury time, Klaassen even made it 0-2 when he was able to score from a rebound, after Depay had bumped into the keeper.
Lineup Netherlands: Noppert; Dumfries, De Ligt, Van Dijk, Ake, Blind; Berghuis (Klaassen/79), F. De Jong, Gakpo (De Roon/90+4); Janssen (Depay/61), Bergwijn (Koopmeiners/79).