Just like 36 years ago as a player, Ronald Koeman is now leaving Munich as a coach with a feeling of elation. Well, in 1988 there was a little more to celebrate, when the Netherlands became European football champions in the Bavarian metropolis.
On Tuesday, national coach Koeman’s team only reached the quarter-finals, but their 3-0 win against Romania may have calmed the critics at home in the Netherlands. It was the best performance so far in this tournament, but the Romanians, who fought so passionately in the group stage, did not make things particularly difficult for the Elftal.
The Oranje fans marched happily in Munich too – left, right, left, right through the city at midday. At home, there had been plenty of criticism after the poor performances in the preliminary round, which culminated in the defeat against Austria.
“We have to find the right answer,” Koeman said. “There’s a lot at stake.” If they were knocked out in the round of 16, his job might also have been at stake. In the first quarter of an hour, not much changed in the Dutch team’s game. The Romanians dominated the opening phase – and Ianis Hagi was caught out in the very first attack.
First of all, nice to look at
He suffered a laceration on his head in an aerial duel. He returned to the pitch with a thick plaster on his head and a net cap. Romania faced their opponents, who were superior in terms of play, with passion and a fighting spirit – and had the first good chance of the match in the 13th minute. But Dennis Man’s long-range shot went over the goal.
Then the Dutch found their way into the game better. A few corners didn’t bring anything, but an important ball win followed in the opponent’s half: Leipzig’s Xavi Simons sent to Cody Gakpo on the left. The Liverpool FC attacker moved inside, rounded a Romanian defender and finished with a powerful shot to make it 1-0 (20th minute).
In terms of play, it was initially nice to see what the Elftal offered in the Munich Arena after the 1-0 lead, but it was a bit too ornate and not determined enough to score a second goal. While the Romanian fans had accompanied Dutch attacks with a chorus of whistles at the beginning of the game, they now tried to support their own team with loud singing. Coach Edward Iordanescu’s team was rarely able to free themselves and seemed to long for the break.
The second half began with a small sign of life for the Romanians: Nicolae Stanciu hit a dangerous free kick in front of the goal, but Bart Verbruggen was there. But the 1988 European champions had the better chances after that.
Memphis Depay failed to hit the ball properly from close range in the scrum, allowing the Romanians to clear the situation. Then van Dijk headed the ball onto the outside post following a corner. Gakpo finished off a solo run across half the pitch with a long-range shot, but it missed the target. A minute later he scored from close range, but he was offside, so the goal was disallowed.
In the 83rd minute, it finally worked: Dortmund substitute Donyell Malen ended any remaining doubts about the team’s place in the quarter-finals with the 2-0 goal, and he also scored the goal to make it 3-0 in injury time.
Beaten: Romanian goalkeeper Florin NitaAFP
