Belarus 1-2 Netherlands: 5 Talking Points from the game | UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifiers

#4 Belarus took advantage of Dutch complacency after the break

Virgil van Dijk was caught off guard for the Belarus goal

After a near-flawless first half, the Netherlands went into the break fully in control of the tie. They scored 2 goals, had kept most of the ball and had been successful in keeping the hosts at bay. The Dutch defense was rarely threatened and Koeman’s men were expected to build on their first-half exploits. However, the second half turned out to be a reality check for the Oranje.

At the start of the second half, complacency crept into the Netherlands team, who were guilty of taking their foot off the pedal. Belarus, in the meanwhile, took advantage of the away side’s lapse in concentration, registered 3 shots in the first 10 minutes and scored one goal. Interestingly, the visitors registered their first shot after the break 20 minutes into the second half. The Dutch almost scripted their own demise as they were overconfident and underestimated the opposition.