Rejuvenated Dutch strike late, into Nations League Final 4
berlin — The Netherlands’ recovery from one of the lowest ebbs in its history continued with a lastgasp qualification for the Final Four of the inaugural UEFA Nations League on Monday.
Virgil van Dijk volleyed home a 90th-minute equaliser to seal a dramatic Dutch comeback in a 2-2 draw in Germany, allowing Ronald Koeman’s rejuvenated side to top its qualifying group on goal difference ahead of France, and join fellow group winners Portugal, England and Switzerland in a five-day finals competition in June.
So instead of seeing Kylian Mbappe, France’s new wonderkid and star of the team’s World Cup triumph in Russia in July, vying for another piece of international silverware, soccer fans will get to see if the Netherlands truly has turned the corner. The slump of the Dutch has been profound since they finished third at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. They failed to qualify for an enlarged European Championship in 2016 and also didn’t make it to the World Cup this year.
Three coaches — Guus Hiddink, Danny Blind, and Dick Advocaat — came and went. And with Dutch soccer at club level also in strife, debate swirled as to how one of the long-time heavyweights of the world game could recover.
Under Koeman, though, the future of the Oranje looks bright. Youngsters like centre midfielder Frenkie de Jong and center back Matthijs de Ligt are regarded as two of the most promising players in the world; Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum have returned to their best form over the last 18 months; and, in Van Dijk, the Netherlands has one of the best defenders around. The draw for the Final Four, which comprises of two semifinals and then a thirdplace playoff and final, will take place in Dublin on Dec. 3.
Some other loose ends were tied up in the Nations League, which offers teams a second chance to qualify for the European Championship in 2020. The 16 group winners in Leagues A, B, C and D — or the next best-placed teams who have not already qualified via the European qualifiers starting in March — will progress to the Nations League playoffs and compete for the last four qualifying places for Euro 2020.
Norway was promoted to the second-tier League B after finishing top of Group C3 with a 2-0 win at Cyprus. The Norwegians started the final round of group play tied for points with Bulgaria, which could only draw at home to Slovenia 1-1.
Macedonia went up to League C after beating Gibraltar 4-0 to top Group D4. Armenia, the only team that could have finished above Macedonia, ended up second after drawing at Liechtenstein 2-2.
Slovakia was relegated to League C after losing at neighbor Czech Republic 1-0, with Patrik Schick scoring the winner in the first half with a deft lob over the goalkeeper on a counterattack.
Denmark was already guaranteed promotion to the top tier and Ireland was sure of being relegated before they drew 0-0 in Aarhus.
A rock for Liverpool this season and last, Van Dijk — soccer’s most expensive defender following his $99 million move from Southampton in January — sidefooted in a cross from the left to follow up an 84thminute goal from Quincy Promes that gave the Dutch a glimmer of hope in Gelsenkirchen. The Germans had gone 2-0 up after 19 minutes thanks to Timo Werner’s dipping shot from 25 meters and Leroy Sane’s deflected effort from just inside the area. They couldn’t hold on, though, and finished group play with no wins, and just two points. —