Netherlands fail to make finals after shambolic defeat to Czech Republic
ByEurosport
Updated 14/10/2015 at 08:40 GMT
Group A, Amsterdam Arena: Netherlands 2 (Huntelaar 70, van Persie 83) Czech Republic 3 (Kaderabek 24, Sural 35, van Persie og 66)
Danny Blind's Netherlands crashed to an embarrassing defeat against ten-man Czech Republic - and failed to make Euro 2016.
After a lively opening quarter of an hour, the hosts struggled to defend on the counter-attack, and goals from Pavel Kaderabek and Josef Sural gave the Czech Republic a cushion.
The Netherlands must have felt they had a chance to get back into it when Marek Suchy was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity just before the break.
They had already brought Robin van Persie off the bench in a desperate attempt to chase goals, and nobody would have expected him to write his name on the score-sheet in the way that he did, nodding a free kick past his own goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet to put Czech Republic three up.
It was Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who finally made the breakthrough with a consolation on 70 minutes, and Van Persie did manage to net at the right end seven minutes from time - but it never felt as if the Netherlands were actually going to draw level.
In the end, Turkey's win made it all theoretical - and the Netherlands miss a European Championships for the first time in over 30 years.
KEY MOMENTS
24' GOAL! This is not good, Netherlands. Terrific finish from Kaderabek, cantering up the right wing, and Zoet dives too early as that runs across in front of him and into the net. If the scores stay the same, Netherlands do not qualify...
35' GOAL! Oh, chaos. Czech Republic throw-in gets flicked into the box, and Van Dijk dances round the chance of putting in a challenge on Sural, who stumbles but still prods home.
43' RED CARD! Now then! Czech Republic down to 10, as Suchy is sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity, coming in on Memphis.
66' GOAL! Well, van Persie has scored. But it's an own goal. Absolutely shambolic from the Netherlands - he's trying to tap it back to his keeper but instead nods it neatly past him.
70' GOAL! There's one back, courtesy of Huntelaar. Perhaps this is going to be the start of a magical comeback!
83' GOAL! Van Persie redeems himself a little with that nudge on.
STATISTICS
Robin van Persie is the first player to score 50 goals for the Netherlands.
The Netherlands have lost two competitive home games in a row for the first time in their history.
TALKING POINT
Is this the worst Netherlands team ever? It's certainly the worst in more than one generation. What on earth has gone wrong? With a bunch of legends looking on from the bench in their tracksuits, perhaps it goes some way to showing that footballing ability doesn't equate to coaching ability or tactical nous.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Pavel Kaderabek. Scored the vital first goal, charging forward up the wing from full back, and a solid display.
RATINGS
Netherlands: Zoet 5, Tete 5, Bruma 5, Van Dijk 4, Riedewald 5, Blind 5, Wijnaldum 5, Sneijder 5, Depay 5, Huntelaar 5, El Ghazi 5. Subs: Vermeer, Stekelenburg, Van der Wiel, Anita, Rekik, Kongolo, Bazoer, Afellay, Elia, Lens 5, Dost 6, Van Persie 5.
Czech Republic: Cech 7, Kaderabek 7, Kadlec 7, Gebre Selassie 7, Suchy 5, Skalak 6, Pavelka 6, Plasil 6, Darida 6, Necid 6, Sural 6. Subs: Vaclik, Koubek, Prochazka 6, Kalas 6, Novak, Frydek, Petrzela, Kopic, Krejci, Skoda 6.
Join 3M+ users on app
Download
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article