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

Netherlands traveled to the Stadyen Dynama in Minsk to face Belarus in a Group C clash of the UEFA Euro Qualifiers. The Dutch were top of the group after 5 games but were level on points with Germany and Northern Ireland, even though the latter had played a game more. As such, the game on Saturday was a chance for the Netherlands to go 3 points clear at the top and keep the pressure on Germany ahead of their tie against Estonia.

The Oranje had won 4 of their 5 games in the qualifiers, while their only defeat had come at the hands of Germany. However, the Netherlands had secure revenge with a 4-2 win over Die Mannschaft recently and is one of the rising forces in the world of football. Ronald Koeman was aware that he needed to win all of the remaining 3 qualifiers and as such, was desperate to collect all 3 points against Belarus. The Dutchman named his first eleven accordingly.

Netherlands Starting XI: Jasper Cillessen; Joël Veltman, Matthijs De Ligt, Virgil Van Dijk, Daley Blind; Donny Van de Beek, Frenkie De Jong, Georginio Wijnaldum; Steven Bergwijn, Donyell Malen, Quincy Promes

The Netherlands initially struggled to find their footing in the game, but finally went ahead when Georginio Wijnaldum scored in the 32nd minute. The Liverpool midfielder then doubled the lead in the 41st minute and the Netherlands went into the break with a 2-0 advantage. In the second half, Stanislaw Drahun pulled one back for the hosts in the 53rd minute, but the visitors held on and secured a 2-1 victory. Here are 5 talking points from the game.

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#5 Netherlands dominated proceedings in the first half

The visitors started the game slowly, but soon asserted a grip on the proceedings. They dictated the tempo of the game and ended the first half with 83% possession. Ronald Koeman’s side attempted 448 passes with 92% passing accuracy and also won 4 corners in the half.

Interestingly, the Netherlands registered 14 shots before the break, 5 of which were on target Quite deservedly, the visitors scored 2 goals and went into the break with a 2-0 lead. In the end, their first-half performance turned out to be absolutely pivotal on the day.

#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.

#3 Belarus unsettled Netherlands with their counter-attacking tactics

Igor Kriushenko set his team out to play on the counter

The hosts always knew that the odds were against them going into the game. The Netherlands was a team laden with stars and the quality of the players in their disposal made it a difficult task for the home side. As such, Igor Kriushenko opted for counter-attacking measures to catch the opposition on the break. And it almost worked out for his team.

Belarus saw very little of the ball in the first half; they managed just 17% possession and only registered 95 passes, with a mere 64% accuracy. The home side recorded only 3 shots before the break, none of which was on target. However, since the Netherlands played with a high line, every time Belarus won the ball, the hosts managed to break away with speed, causing the visitors quite a few headaches.

The intensity of their counter-attacks increased in the second half and they even managed to score a goal, when a direct ball from deep was misread by Virgil van Dijk and turned in by Stanislaw Drahun past Jasper Cillessen. Belarus continued to stretch the opposition defence with their counter-attacking tactics in the second half, but the equalizer eluded them in the end.

#2 Georginio Wijnaldum won the game for the Dutch

Georginio Wijnaldum scored a brace for the Netherlands

Georginio Wijnaldum had seen his stock rise in the last couple of years. The Dutchman had improved with leaps and bounds since his arrival at Liverpool and his late runs from midfield had been crucial for Jurgen Klopp’s team. He had also turned into a vital player for his nation and against Belarus, Ronald Koeman had Wijnaldum to thank for securing all 3 points.

The Liverpool midfielder broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute of the game when he embarked on a trademark late run and managed to connect to a Quincy Promes cross. The goal helped the Netherlands gain much-needed confidence in the day. 9 minutes later, the Liverpool man had done it again.

This time, Wijnaldum gathered a pass from Steven Bergwijn and unleashed a venomous volley from outside the box that found its way into the top right corner. It ultimately turned out to be the goal that secured all 3 points for the Dutch.

#1 Netherlands edge closer to UEFA Euro 2020 Qualification

Ronald Koeman will be looking to win both of the remaining two games

A win against Belarus on Saturday sees the Dutch move on to 15 points from 6 games. Ideally, Ronald Koeman will require 4 points more in the next 2 games to secure qualification to the tournament, but he would probably prefer to win both two games to keep the momentum going.

The Netherlands next face Northern Ireland, who are currently third in the table, in the middle of November this year. Koeman’s wards have already won the home game against the same opposition 3-1 last week, however, the away leg could prove a bit tricky. Nevertheless, if the Netherlands manage to win the game, their qualification will be more or less secure. In the last qualifiers, the Dutch face Estonia at home. The Netherlands has already won 4-0 away against Estonia in September, so Koeman will be quietly confident of a home win to end the qualification round.

As such, Saturday’s hard-fought win against Belarus means that the Netherlands is edging closer to UEFA Euro 2020 qualification.