It was good in stages, intense, compelling, in a festival-like atmosphere on a summer evening in South Rotterdam. Advertising for football, after a season full of incidents on the Dutch fields. But the Dutch national team did lose 4-2 to Croatia in the semi-finals of the Nations League, after more than 120 minutes of exciting football.
Although lost, it is the game the Netherlands may have needed to ignite national coach Ronald Koeman’s second term after the disappointing international break in March. The Netherlands awaits the battle for third place in Enschede on Sunday in the Nations League, a relatively new country tournament. Croatia will play the final in De Kuip against Spain or Italy that evening.
It is the young, new crop that lost out to the old, crafty masters in a beautiful fight. Croatia – second at the 2018 World Cup, third at the 2022 World Cup – plays football more easily between the lines in stages, is more direct in passing. But it finds the spirit and willpower of Orange against it. A block tackle here, a body check there, an interception in between.
End of a long season
It doesn’t necessarily feel like a home game, with the Netherlands in the blue away shirt. And 14,000 fanatical Croatian fans, who provide an atmosphere as befits national football. The sun slowly sets, along the roof of the old Kuip, which has been completely pimped for the occasion by organizer UEFA. Huge video screens, Nations League banners everywhere, a whole village of tents around the stadium.
Just another beautiful evening of football at the end of a long season, in a tournament whose status is still difficult to place. In 2019, the Netherlands reached the final, which it lost to home country Portugal. Captain Virgil van Dijk said this week, looking back, that at the time they “didn’t really realize” that they were playing “for a cup”. Now it is more alive, he noticed.
That big cup flashes on the edge of the field just before kick-off. Koeman emphatically opts for the new generation. He has been forced to rejuvenate after things went wrong in and against France at the end of March: a 4-0 defeat. The previously trusted trio of Van Dijk, Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay, among others, did not give home.
Now Koeman opts for Teun Koopmeiners and Mats Wieffer in midfield, instead of Wijnaldum and Marten de Roon. And due to the absence of the injured Depay, the striker position is filled by Cody Gakpo, flanked by Xavi Simons and Donyell Malen. Also striking: three Feyenoord players in the base, not one Ajax player.
The Netherlands clearly has to get used to the new formation, to the changes. Lots of discussion, when the game is at a standstill. The uplifting clapping after giving a foul ball. Where Croatia is oiled, the automatisms sharpened in it.
Modric against De Jong
Almost everything starts with 37-year-old Luka Modric, with his refined, intelligent passing. He always finds Frenkie de Jong in his neighbourhood, his Dutch counterpart, always a few meters away. Lurking at each other, wherever they go – De Jong slightly more than Modric.
Good football, few chances. But then Gakpo pushes hard on the left after more than half an hour. Followed by controlled, patient, technical passing in the small space between Simons and Aké, which Wieffer finds. He cleverly moves the game to the other side of the penalty area where Malen is waiting. He shoots flawlessly in the open corner, with a difficult bounce. Beautiful 1-0.
But then, just like that, shortly after rest. Gakpo does not take the ball well in its own penalty area, Modric sits on top of him like a mosquito, wins the ball in a dangerous zone, after which Gakpo briefly holds the Croatian captain. Penalty kick, no doubt. Gakpo screams in frustration – the dismay at Koeman aside. Inconvenient, unnecessary. Striker Andrej Kramarić shoots through the middle, leaves goalkeeper Justin Bijlow without a chance: 1-1.
The balance is tipping, Croatia’s experience is becoming more important, which is increasing the pressure. Luka Ivanusec gets too much space from right back Denzel Dumfries, the pass to the axis where Mario Pasalic is waiting. Van Dijk and Koopmeiners do not intervene, allowing Pasalic to shoot in almost free position. Van Dijk is too passive, looks at the ball, but not at the man. 1-2 after seventy minutes.
This is how the Netherlands escapes, it seems. Another great chance for Gakpo, but his shot goes a meter wide. Then, in the sixth and final minute of stoppage time. The ball is thrown into the Croatian goal area, everyone dives for it, then suddenly falls at the feet of substitute Noa Lang. He completes controlled with the inside of the right, finds the gap between goalkeeper and defenders. 2-2. Ecstatic scenes, and Croatian fans throwing plastic cups with beer.
It will be extended, late in the evening in Rotterdam. The Netherlands cannot keep up the momentum. It soon runs into 2-3. Substitute Bruno Petkovic turns away nicely from De Jong. Hard good, placed long shot, out of range of Bijlow.
The Netherlands lacks the strength, the smartness to fight back again. Lang comes in a promising position diagonally in front of an open goal, but shoots into the side net. Shortly before the end, Croatia received a penalty after a charge from substitute Tyrell Malacia on Petkovic. That final chord is for Modric, who makes 2-4. Fine in the corner. A small Croatian folk festival erupts.
A version of this article also appeared in the June 15, 2023 issue of the newspaper.