Netherlands 2-0 Austria: Three Things We Learned

Euro 2020 is in full swing now with two or three games every single day for fans to sink their teeth into. Last night, in the late game, we saw Group C favourites the Netherlands meet Austria in a fascinating clash of styles in Amsterdam. In the end, it was the Dutch who managed to walk away with a 2-0 win in addition to a place in the knockout stage.

Dutch excitement

Until the very last minute of the game, the Netherlands were pushing hard in search of a third goal – which says a lot about the intensity this team has at their disposal right now. They’re a really exciting presence and if they can fix that “drop off” period they seem to have following the first 15-20 minutes, they could actually be contenders in this tournament. That may sound odd, but they have more momentum than most at this stage in proceedings.

Austria & Alaba’s last stand

David Alaba just didn’t have a good game last night which is strange, because he’s known for being Austria’s talisman. Between giving away the penalty and his overall demeanour it just didn’t feel like a natural Alaba performance, whatever you may think that looks like. The Austrians now face a crossroads in their Euro campaign as they prepare to meet Ukraine on Monday, knowing a loss could quite easily bring an end to their time in the tournament. For them, the worst part is that there doesn’t seem to be much separating themselves and Ukraine in terms of quality.

The inmates running the asylum?

Say it quietly, but Frank de Boer may have just found the perfect recipe for success with the Oranje – and we’re not sure it has a whole lot to do with him. Between the creative spark of his attacking players and the insanely talented coaching squad he has at his disposal, there are so many people around de Boer who can help guide him through this tournament. Weirdly, the “inmates running the asylum” vibe we got from the Netherlands’ style actually seemed to work.

Match Report

Netherlands: Stekelenburg (7), Blind (7), de Ligt (7.5), de Vrij (7), van Aanholt (6.5), de Jong (8), de Roon (6.5), Dumfries (8), Wijnaldum (7), Depay (7), Weghorst (6.5), Gravenberch (6), Malen (7), Wijndal (6.5), Ake (6.5), de Jong (6)

Austria: Bachmann (6), Dragovic (6.5), Alaba (5.5), Hinteregger (6.5), Schlager (6.5), Lainer (6.5), Laimer (6), Sabitzer (6), Ulmer (6), Baumgartner (6), Gregoritsch (6.5), Kalajdzic (6.5), Onisiwo (6), Lienhart (6), Grillitsch (6.5), Lazaro (6)

Referee: Orel Grinfeld

Goals: Depay pen, Dumfries

Yellow Cards: de Roon, Alaba, Bachmann

Red Cards: N/A