The Netherlands overcame a spirited Poland side to claim a 2-1 hard-fought victory in their Group D opener at EURO 2024 on Sunday, June 16th.
Former Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst struck late in the second half to secure all three points for Ronald Koeman’s team in a tightly contested encounter at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg.
Poland had taken a surprise lead in the 16th minute when Adam Buksa headed home Piotr Zielinski’s excellent corner. The absence of captain Robert Lewandowski due to injury failed to deter the Poles, who threatened to pull off an early upset against their heavily-fancied opponents.
However, the Dutch restored parity before the break through Cody Gakpo’s composed finish. The Liverpool forward lashed the ball home in the 29th minute, from 22 yards after Man City’s Nathan Ake had won possession high up the pitch. The scoreboard read 1-1 at halftime.
Koeman’s side dominated possession for large periods in the second half, but struggled to create many clear-cut chances against a disciplined Polish backline.
It appeared the game was heading for a draw until Weghorst, who had only just come on Memphis Depay in the 81st minute, fired home the winner two minutes later.
The substitute forward latched onto Ake’s low cross to blast the ball past the Poland goalkeeper and spark jubilant celebrations from the Dutch bench. It was a cruel blow for the Poles, who had defended valiantly for much of the contest.
The victory will be a huge boost for the Oranje, who were the favourites to win against the Eagles. They were made to work hard for the three points, but Weghorst’s late heroics ensured they got their campaign off to a winning start.
For Poland, the defeat was a tough pill to swallow, particularly given their impressive first-half display. However, they can take encouragement from their performance and will hope to bounce back in their next group fixture.
Netherlands travel to the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig to face France next on Friday, June 21st, in what promises to be a tough clash live on NBS Sport. Poland, on the other hand, will face Austria earlier the the same day.
