We can beat anybody, says Netherlands manager Frank de Boer

Netherlands manager Frank de Boer oozes confidence after Memphis Depay, Denzel Dumfries fire Dutch to 2-0 win over Austria and seal knockout berth

The Netherlands are through to the Last 16 at Euro after Memphis Depay’s penalty set up a 2-0 win over Austria on Thursday, their second straight victory securing top spot in Group C as coach Frank de Boer declared there is much more to come from his side. 

Depay made no mistake from the spot in the 11th minute in Amsterdam after David Alaba’s foul on Denzel Dumfries was spotted by the Israeli referee only after he came across to review the images. Dumfries, so impressive in the thrilling opening 3-2 win over Ukraine, added another midway through the second half, his second goal of the tournament.

Dutch’s Denzel Dumfries after his goal. Pic/AFP

Home comfort

The Dutch were comfortable at home in the Johan Cruyff Arena and De Boer’s side are so far making a success of their first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup. That is great news for De Boer, whose predecessor as national coach, Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman, was among the spectators. “I know we can beat anybody when we are at our best but I think other teams are thinking the same so let’s go game by game and see where that takes us,” De Boer said.

“We showed different qualities today. We were much better defensively than we were against Ukraine. We could have done better with the ball but overall it was a decent performance and it gives me confidence for the next games,” he added.

The Dutch now cannot be caught at the top of the group after Ukraine beat North Macedonia earlier in Bucharest, with the Balkan outsiders already eliminated. That means De Boer can rest players for the final group game against North Macedonia, safe in the knowledge that the Dutch will go to Budapest for a Last-16 tie on June 27 against a third-place finisher.

Netherlands boss Frank de Boer

Future gameplan

“We need to decide how to prepare for the next game, whether to keep working on the system and improve that or give some players extra time off,” De Boer added. 

He had said coming into the Euro that the 1988 champions were between the fourth and eighth-best team and already they can see their path opening up to the quarter-finals. They will still need to improve if they are to go further, but they appear to be finding their feet in the 3-5-2 system that De Boer has controversially opted for.

Two
Denzel Dumfries is only the second Netherlands player after Ruud van Nistelrooy to score in his first two Euro games

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