Codu Gakpo always thinks about it. One who perhaps disappears from the international radar during the season, even if in Liverpool he scored 23 goals in eighteen months, and then in the big events he always comes back. Like in the last World Cup, where he stamped all the matches of the first phase, and like here in Germany where he has already scored against Poland, Austria and yesterday in the complicated challenge with Romania, unlocked by his flash and put in safety by his assist for Malen. It is an indolent Holland, a bit like in tradition, a Holland that has to take a few slaps to wake up. As also happened to the only winning Holland in history, which in ’88 had to start with a knockout against the Soviet Union, before engaging the winning gear that ended right in Munich (like yesterday…) with revenge against the Russians. This Holland had to take three slaps from Austria and end up fished out among the third before waking up from the usual torpor. Not only that, but he also had to be scared by Romania’s rocket start before finding the pride, class and genius to get the game back on track. For 20 minutes, in fact, Romania looked like Hagi’s, the real one, where even Hagi junior carved out a few brilliant plays, even though after a few minutes he took a terrible elbow from Dumfries on the head and had to play with a bandage on his skull. Romania also came close to scoring with a Man shot that went over the crossbar. Then, as if by magic, he appeared, the usual Gakpo (in the photo), and the game was over. Simmons opened up on the left, the winger took a stunned Ratiu and slipped it past Nita at the near post. At that point another match begins, Romania disappears like a dazed boxer for almost the entire first half, and Holland takes control, Reijnders guarantees the geometry, Bergwijn and Depay rage, Simmons somewhat presumptuously wastes the other best opportunity (42′).
In the second half, the Orange came close to doubling their lead several times with two runs by Gakpo (thwarted by Nita), a header by Van Dijk and a free kick by Depay, until they found it with a solo run by the usual Gakpo who offered Malen a ball he couldn’t miss. Like the 3-0 of safety. Holland went through and could look up, on a side of the scoreboard that should have favored Italy. Which however is the only big team that has already gone home.
