France 4-0 Netherlands
Didier Deschamps’ France made the perfect start to their Euro 2024 qualification campaign as Les Bleus swept a depleted Netherlands aside with a clinical display in Paris.
Euro 2024: France vs Netherlands brought together two of the tournament favourites in a scintillating opener. The favourites to top Group B clashed at the Stade de France and it was the hosts who shrugged off World Cup final disappointment with a convincing win.
To be fair to the visitors, they were without five key players sent home with a flu virus, including Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, Newcastle defender Sven Botman and FC Bayern centre back Matthijs de Ligt; and the eleven who started for the Netherlands were savaged by France who raced into a three goal lead before the break. And that was enough to win the points as a tame second half failed to deliver the same level of action and no scares for Les Bleus, though Mbappe doubled his own tally with just two minutes remaining and, deep into stoppage time the Dutch won a penalty…but they missed it.
Highlights of the game
In Ronald Koeman’s first game back in charge of the Netherlands he couldn’t have a worse introduction as his team were opened up twice in the first eight minutes when Les Bleus made an explosive start. Antoine Griezmann carried his fine run of form for Atletico Madrid with him to France as he opened the scoring with just two minutes on the clock. Kylian Mbappe was the provider, teeing up Griezmann in the centre of the penalty area and he finished clinically in the bottom left corner. And five minutes later it was two. Randal Kolo Muani was fouled by Lutsharel Geertruida and when the resulting free kick was swung in Dayot Upamecano prodded home from close range.
The Netherlands tried to respond and Giorginio Wijnaldum forced Mike Maignan into a smart save, low to his left, and then Memphis Depay had an effort charged down. But any thoughts of an Oranje comeback were quickly brushed aside when Mbappe made it three, midway through the first half. Aurelien Tchouameni fired a ball in and a brilliant dummy from Kolo Muani left the Dutch defence, Virgil Van Dijk included, bamboozled, leaving Mbappe on his own with all the time he needed to steer the ball home.
While the Oranje had plenty of the ball the hosts, with Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot dominating the midfield, were dictating the pace of play and struck with ruthless efficiency and the game, at 3-0, was out of the visitors’ reach.
Mbappe came close to grabbing his second, soon after the break when Kolo Muani teed him up, but his low drive was kept out by the stretching Jasper Cillessen. And, at the other end of the pitch, the ever-willing and hard-running Depay tried his luck again from distance but Maignan collected easily.
France continued to control the game, allowing the Netherlands to pass the ball around in their own half, and then probing away for a fourth as Rabiot headed a pinpoint corner from Griezmann over the bar. Mbappe forced another save from Cillessen on 80 minutes but there was little the Oranje keeper could do when the PSG man slotted home his second and France’s fourth.
Depay had a chance to grab a consolation from the penalty spot, but his shot was saved… and that summed up the Oranje’s night.
Key statistics
The France vs Netherlands betting odds backed a win for Les Bleus at a price of 1.68, and it was never in doubt from midway through the first half. While the Netherlands had more possession in the first 45 France were clinical, with seven shots to five and four to two on target, with three hitting the target.
The pattern of play continued in the second half; the Netherlands finished with 58 per cent possession but lost the shot counts by 11 to nine and seven the four on target.
World Cup Golden Boot winner Mbappe has scored 21 goals in his last 18 games for his country; he’s fast becoming the hottest property in Europe.
What’s next?
Oranje fans won’t want to see the France vs Netherlands highlights again any time soon, but there’s plenty more international action for SBOTOP football fans to enjoy in the coming days. On Monday 27th March, France head to Dublin’s fair city to take on the Republic of Ireland while the battered Netherlands are at home to Gibraltar.
Surely Koeman’s men will win that one, even if they are still depleted by the flu virus; and the Netherlands have another plate to spin too, as they have reached the finals of the UEFA Nations League, alongside Croatia, Italy and Spain.
So maybe their passionate supporters should just write this one off and crack on.
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