Dutch scent glory after beating France
RAKITIC TO MISS GAME AGAINST ENGLAND TODAY
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The Netherlands had qualification for the Nations League semifinals in their sights on Friday after they beat France 2-0 to hand Didier Deschamps’ side their first defeat since winning the World Cup in the summer.
Georginio Wijnaldum struck on the stroke of halftime and Memphis Depay chipped home a cheeky injury time penalty to bag a win in Rotterdam for Ronald Koeman’s revitalised side that leaves the impressive Dutch needing just a point against relegated Germany tomorrow to leapfrog France and make the semi-finals.
The Dutch are a point behind leaders France, who only needed a draw themselves on Friday to qualify for the knockout stage in their last match of the group.
Wijnaldum’s goal came practically at the midway point of a match dominated by the hosts, who had the better of the play and chances against the lacklustre world champions.
The closest Deschamps’ men came to scoring was a weak 10th-minute header from Antoine Griezmann, who was otherwise anonymous alongside the equally invisible Kylian Mbappe.
The Dutch meanwhile peppered Hugo Lloris’ goal from the off, with Wijnaldum forcing the France keeper’s first save with just a minute on the clock following an impressive burst from star turn Depay.
Lloris battles strikers
The match would have been done and dusted long before the final whistle had it not been for Tottenham stopper Lloris, who engaged in an almost personal battle with the Netherlands’ vibrant front three of Depay, Ryan Babel and Steven Bergwijn.
Depay was in particularly fine fettle, and the Lyon attacker was denied three times in the space of three second-half minutes by Lloris to stop the Dutch adding to their total.
First Lloris pushed away Depay’s stinging free-kick in the 73rd minute, then two minutes later the Spurs man saved his bamboozled defenders with two smart saves from the striker in a matter of seconds.
France finally creaked into action not long after, but offered little going forward.
Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic will, meanwhile, miss the winner-takes-all game against England at Wembley today due to injury, manager Zlatko Dalic said on Friday.
Barcelona’s Rakitic came off in the 67th minute of the 3-2 home win over Spain on Thursday which gave Croatia the chance to top League A Group 4 and claim a place in next year’s four-team finals.
“He will go to Barcelona, it’s a serious injury. You know that I usually take no risk. If there is a doubt that the injury could be serious, then we let him rest,” Dalic told Sky Sports.
You know that I usually take no risk. If there is a doubt that the injury could be serious, then we let him rest.” Zlatko Dalic » Croatia manager