The Netherlands secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Romania in the Euro 2024 round of 16 at the Munich Football Arena on July 2, 2024, propelling them into the quarterfinals for the first time since 2008. Cody Gakpo opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a powerful shot, marking his third goal of the tournament. Donyell Malen then sealed the win with two late goals in the 83rd and 90+3 minutes.The Dutch team dominated the match, controlling possession (64%) and creating numerous scoring opportunities with 16 shots on goal. Despite Romania’s occasional threatening moments, particularly early in the game, the Netherlands’ defense held firm. This performance was a marked improvement from their previous 3-2 loss to Austria in the group stage, which had drawn criticism from local media and fans.Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the team’s progress, stating that they had lacked energy and the ‘will to win’ in their previous loss but managed to improve their performance significantly in this crucial match. Coach Ronald Koeman praised the team’s focus and overall performance.Cody Gakpo, who was named player of the game, expressed satisfaction with the team’s showing: ‘Of course, we could have done better, but this is a good performance after the last game. A good step in the right direction. We felt we had control of the game, although they were a dangerous opponent.’ The Netherlands will now face the winner of the Austria-Turkey match in the quarterfinals, scheduled for Saturday, July 6, at 22:00 (Kiev time) in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. This victory has reignited hopes for the Dutch team to revive their past success in the tournament.
Key points
- The Netherlands defeated Romania 3-0 in the Euro 2024 round of 16.
- Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen scored the goals for the Netherlands.
- This victory marks the Netherlands’ first quarterfinal appearance since 2008.
- The Netherlands will face either Austria or Turkey in the quarterfinals.
Contradictionsđź‘ľThere is a minor discrepancy in reporting the exact time of Malen’s second goal, with some sources stating it was in the 90+3 minute, while others report it as the 93rd minute.
