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Netherlands vs Austria. European Championships Group C.

Amsterdam ArenAAttendance15,243.

Netherlands 2

  • Memphis Depay (11th minute pen)
  • D Dumfries (67th minute)

Austria 0

    Netherlands 2-0 Austria: Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries on target as Oranje cruise into Euro 2020 last 16

    Report as Netherlands beat Austria 2-0 in Amsterdam to seal their place in the last 16 at Euro 2020; Memphis Depay's early penalty gave the hosts the lead, before Denzel Dumfries added a second midway through the second half; Austria must beat Ukraine on Monday to also qualify

    Denzel Dumfries puts Netherlands 2-0 up over Austria
    Image: Denzel Dumfries celebrates after putting Netherlands 2-0 up over Austria

    Goals in each half from Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries saw Netherlands cruise past Austria 2-0 in Amsterdam to book their place in the last 16 of Euro 2020 as Group C winners.

    The hosts took an early lead from a penalty, given after the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee who spotted that Austria captain David Alaba had caught Dumfries in the box, with Depay converting from the spot.

    Memphis Depay of the Netherlands during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group C match between Netherlands and Austria at Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Thursday, June 17, 2021, (Dean Mouhtaropoulous/Pool via AP)
    Image: Memphis Depay was on target for Netherlands

    And it was Dumfries who doubled the Dutch lead midway through the second half with a simple close-range finish after the visitors' offside trap malfunctioned badly, the PSV Eindhoven right-back's second goal of the tournament.

    As a result, Frank de Boer's side have joined both Italy and Belgium in the knockout phase having won Group C with a match to spare, while Austria can join them with a win against Ukraine in their final game on Monday.

    Player ratings

    Netherlands: Stekelenburg (6), de Ligt (7), de Vrij (7), Blind (6), Dumfries (8), de Roon (7), F de Jong (8), van Aanholt (7), Wijnaldum (9), Weghorst (8), Depay (8)

    Subs: Ake (6), Wijndal (6), L de Jong (6), Gravenberch (6), Malen (7)

    Austria: Bachmann (7), Dragovic (6), Alaba (7), Hinteregger (6), Xaver Schlager (6), Lainer (6), Laimer (6), Sabitzer (7), Ulmer (6), Gregoritsch (6), Baumgartner (6)

    Subs: Grillitsch (6), Lienhart (6), Onisiwo (6), Lazaro (6), Kalajdzic (6)

    Man of the match: Georginio Wijnaldum

    How the Oranje sealed their last-16 spot

    Both teams went into the game knowing a second win in Group C would send them into the knockout phase of the tournament, but it was the home side who began the better, going ahead after just 11 minutes.

    Initially, Orel Grinfeld waved play on when rampaging Dutch right wing-back Dumfries went over in the box under Alaba's lazy challenge, only for VAR Pawel Gil to send the Israeli official over to the pitch-side TV monitor.

    Memphis Depay's penalty gave Netherlands an early lead against Austria
    Image: Depay's penalty gave Netherlands an early lead against Austria

    And when the referee watched the incident again, he wasted little time in deciding the Austria captain had caught the top of Dumfries's foot, with the challenge taking place just inside the box.

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    The Barcelona-bound Depay duly obliged by placing the resulting spot-kick into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, with the Oranje dominating the rest of the first half.

    Team news

    The Netherlands made one change from the win against Ukraine as Jurrien Timber made way for Matthijs de Ligt, who returned to the side after injury.

    It was one change for Austria too as Sasa Kalajdzic was replaced by Michael Gregoritsch, who fired Austria ahead against North Macedonia in their opening game.

    In fact, Netherlands - who welcomed back Matthijs de Ligt from injury - really should have increased their lead before the break, only for Depay to somehow side-foot over the bar from just five yards out after seemingly having a goal put on his plate by Wout Weghorst's unselfish pass.

    The one-way traffic continued after the break, with Watford No 1 Daniel Bachmann being forced to pull off a stunning reaction save to keep out Stefan de Vrij's close-range header, before the home team did double their advantage.

    Wout Weghorst of the Netherlands, right, challenges for the ball with Austria's David Alaba during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group C match between Netherland and Austria, at Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, Thursday, June 17, 2021. (Koen van Weel, Pool via AP)
    Image: Wout Weghorst challenges for the ball with Austria's David Alaba

    Austria had insisted on playing a dangerously high line from the kick-off and it was no real surprise when the Dutch exploited it as Depay released Donyell Malen over halfway and the substitute then powered forward unchallenged, before laying the ball off for Dumfries to score into the empty net.

    The shot-shy visitors, who badly missed the suspended Marko Arnautovic, had to wait until late on to have their first effort on target, but by then, it was too little, too late with the game over as a contest.

    What the managers said

    Netherlands coach Frank de Boer: "I think there are still a lot of things we can improve and we showed some
    different qualities today.

    "Defensively we were much better than against Ukraine. On the ball we could have done better today but overall it was a really decent performance today and that's given me a lot confidence for the next games.

    "I don't want to talk about favourites. We have to do our best and I know at our best we can beat everybody.

    "But I think other teams are thinking the same, so let's go from game to game and then we will see where it ends.

    "Memphis can make some more steps during a tournament. In the matches to follow, where it will really get important, he will be the big man. I am full of confidence that he will do so. He created the penalty and gave a pre-assist tonight. He knows that he can do better but let's grow into the tournament. He can show his quality in the later stages of this tournament."

    Austria coach Franco Foda: "We wanted to achieve more but we played against a top team which is very compact, with extraordinary strikers. We tried everything over the 90 minutes to turn the match around.

    "The decisive factor was that in ball possession we gave away too many balls too easily and invited them to go on the counter. We created some openings but weren't clinical. They were very clinical, we just lacked that."

    Opta stats

    After losing each of their three group stage games at Euro 2012, Netherlands are now unbeaten in nine matches at major tournaments (Euros + World Cup), the longest run by a European nation since Portugal went 12 without defeat across the 2014 + 2018 World Cups, with EURO 2016 sandwiched in-between.

    Austria have suffered defeat in five of their eight matches at the Euros - all of which have come in the group stages - whilst they failed to score in four of those defeats.

    After failing to score in his first 19 international matches for Netherlands, Denzel Dumfries has netted in back-to-back games for his country. Indeed, he is just the second Oranje player to net in his first two appearances at the Euros, after Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2004.

    Matthijs de Ligt completed 100% of his passes in tonight's victory over Austria (40/40), a record for a Netherlands player in a Euros match since 1980.

    Memphis Depay puts Netherlands 1-0 up against Austria
    Image: Memphis Depay puts Netherlands 1-0 up against Austria

    Man of the Match - Georginio Wijnaldum

    Any Liverpool fans watching the action in Amsterdam on Thursday night could be forgiven for wondering just why their club have opted to let the Netherlands captain walk out of Anfield on a free transfer this summer.

    Wijnaldum, who has agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain next season, turned in another typical all-action midfield display at the Johan Cruyff Arena to help his team brush aside Austria and book their place in the knockout phase of Euro 2020.

    The 30-year-old was everywhere, putting out what few fires there were in front of his defence, constantly winning back possession in midfield, as well as supporting his forward players whenever possible.

    And judging by this energetic performance, the player still has lots to offer at the highest level...

    What's next?

    Netherlands host North Macedonia at the Johan Cruyff Arena, while Austria take on Ukraine in the National Arena in Bucharest, with both concluding Group C clashes taking place on Monday June 21 at 5pm.

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