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Bluer than usual, but successful: Holland's "Oranje Elftal"

(Bild: Associated Press)

The big surprise in the penultimate round of 16 at Euro 2024 failed to materialize: Title contenders Netherlands have reached the last eight with a win against Romania's "Tricolorii"! The "Oranje Elftal" won 3:0 in Munich, a place of destiny for Bonds coach Ronald Koeman, and will now face Turkey ...

Munich and Ronald Koeman? Was there something there? Yes, there was: the now 61-year-old was part of the Dutch team that won the title at the 1988 European Championship in Germany, the only one in the history of the "Oranje" to date. The final, which was won 2:0 against the Soviet Union thanks to goals from Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten and in which Koeman played the libero, took place in Munich ...

Ronald Koeman

(Bild: AFP )

Romanians like a wild swarm of hornets
Of course, Koeman's warm and fuzzy memories of the good old days were soon exorcized after the match kicked off. Contrary to their nickname, the Romanians, dressed in a monochrome yellow from top to bottom, attacked the "Oranje" players extremely high and regularly swarmed forward from their 4-1-4-1 formation like a wild swarm of hornets after winning the ball. For Memphis Depay and Co., who unsurprisingly lined up in a kind of 4-3-3, this probably caused a kind of déjà vu, as if to say: "Sh....., we're playing Austria AGAIN?"

(Bild: Associated Press)

(Bild: Associated Press)

Dutch clearly more effective than "Tricolorii"
Not even an early head injury to Ianis Hagi, who suffered a laceration from contact with Denzel Dumfries' elbow (3rd) and had to continue playing with an improvised bandage turban, stopped the scurrying, aggressive Romanians. However, while coach Eduard Iordănescu's team only had one good top chance from their courageous performance through Dennis Man (14th/shot from the edge of the box just over), the Dutch, who were slow to get into the game, proved to be much more effective.

Gakpo with a 121 km/h shot into the far corner
After goalkeeper Florin Niță had parried Depay's shot (9th, not offside) and a weak header from Nathan Aké (17th), Cody Gakpo scored in the 20th minute thanks to a great individual move: after Xavi Simons' assist, the Liverpool star - who had already dived into the penalty area on the left - made his blue-haired opponent Andrei Rațiu look old with a hook inside the box before giving goalkeeper Niță no chance with a 121 km/h thunderbolt into the far corner from 18 meters. The Romanians were not shocked by this, but the 1988 European "Oranje" champions slowly but surely took control of the game.

(Bild: Associated Press)

And Bonds coach Koeman's team almost made it 2:0 quickly, but luckily for Romania, Stefan de Vrij, seemingly forgotten by God and the world, headed wide after a corner kick (26') - and Xavi Simons hesitated too long after Dumfries won the ball from the sleepy Bogdan Racovițan and passed deep into the penalty area before he could only put the ball next to the box in great distress (40').

Ianis Hagi

(Bild: Associated Press)

2nd "victim" of Dumfries has to come out of the game
Speaking of Dumfries and Racovițan: After the Inter Milan star had already left his blood-soaked calling card on Hagi early on in the game, he caused the next injured Romanian in a collision with Vasile Mogoș. This time, Dumfries' "victim", who was almost knocked out unintentionally, had to leave the game - and Racovițan came on for him.

The Romanians lost the ball too quickly
There was only one change after the break, with the Netherlands bringing on Donyell Malen, the own-goal victim from the Austria game, for Steven Bergwijn. The characteristics of the game changed just as little as the players on the pitch when referee Felix Zwayer kicked off again: The "Tricolorii" remained courageous and repeatedly tried to embarrass Koeman's team with their fast, vertical attacking play. However, the Dutch rarely gave the impression of losing control. This was also thanks to the Romanians often losing the ball too quickly, probably due to their hectic style of play ...

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

2nd Gakpo goal from a narrow offside position
However, Depay's men did not want to make the final decision in their favour, as the final precision was lacking time and time again in the Oranje's play or a Romanian was able to block attempts at a finish: for example with chances from Tijjani Reijnders (49' / Racovițan blocked), Depay (54') or Virgil Van Dijk (58' / header against the post). And when the ball did find its way into the net and the score seemed to be 2-0 to the Netherlands, the VAR intervened. Correctly so, as Gakpo had scored his supposed second goal after Depay's cross from a narrow offside position (63').

(Bild: Associated Press)

Malen makes it all clear with a brace
After further missed top opportunities - Depay free-kick under the wall just wide (68'), Joey Veerman from the edge of the penalty area just past the right-hand post (73') - Malen took over again.) - then Depay Gakpo, who was thwarted by VAR when the score was supposedly 2-0, took on a leading role once again: The Liverpool whirlwind initially lost the ball to Romania defender Radu Drăgușin, but managed to wrestle the ball back from him on the edge of the goalmouth and cut into the middle - where Malen, who was lying in wait, coolly slotted home from close range to clinch the game (83).

Out and out? Not at all! Because Malen, who had been unfortunate against Austria with his own goal and in several duels with Alexander Prass, still hadn't had enough. He made it into positive territory in his personal plus-minus statistics with his goal to make it 3:0 in minute 93: After a quick switch in midfield, Malen shifted up into fifth gear, then made Răzvan Marin look like a schoolboy in the penalty area and shot from 15 meters, unstoppable for goalkeeper Niță. The quarter-final ticket was finally secured - now Turkey awaits ...

The result:
Romania - Netherlands 0:3 (0:1)
Munich, Allianz Arena, 67,000 spectators, referee Zwayer (GER)

Goals: 0:1 (20') Gakpo, 0:2 (83') Malen, 0:3 (93') Malen

Yellow cards: M. Marin, Stanciu or Dumfries, Malen

Romania: Nita - Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Mogos (38. Racovitan) - M. Marin (72. Cicaldau) - Hagi (72. Alibec), R. Marin, Stanciu (88. Olaru), Man - Dragus (72. Mihaila)
Netherlands: Verbruggen - Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake (69. Van de Ven) - Schouten (69. Veerman) , Simons, Reijnders - Bergwijn (46. Malen), Depay (92. Blind), Gakpo (84. Weghorst)