Euro 2020: Netherlands vs Czech Republic preview
Netherlands are set to take on the Czech Republic in the second day of the round of 16 in Euro 2020. The winner of the match will then take on Denmark who got past Wales 4-0.
This will be the first meeting between the two sides since October of 2015. On that occasion, the Dutch lost 3-2 against the Czech in a qualifier for Euro 2016 — they’ve lost their last two games against them and both were qualifiers for the aforementioned Euro 2016.
Euro 2020: How Netherlands and the Czech Republic got here
The road to the knockout phase started off with a speed bump as Netherlands scraped by with a 3-2 win against the Ukraine. They were up 2-0 at one point but allowed Ukraine to get back in the game before Denzel Dumfries knocked in a winner in the 85th minute.
Against Austria, the Dutch pulled off a 2-0 win courtesy of tallies from Memphis Depay and Dumfries. It was a much more composed performance from Frank de Boer’s team who kept a clean sheet and looked better defensively thanks in large part to the return of Matthijs de Ligt.
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The third game was more straightforward as they made easy work of North Macedonia. Depay scored the first goal in the 24th minute. Georginio Wijnaldum had a second half brace; scoring in the 51st and 58th minute.
The Netherlands came into the tournament with a lot of question surrounding Frank de Boer. He went away from the usual 4-3-3 formation and had a run of poor performances prior to the Euros. The Ukraine game aside, he’s seemed to have righted the ship as they finished first in Group C.
Though that might change when faced by a stronger opponent.
Czech Republic are looking to be that opponent.
The Czech finished third in Group D behind England and Croatia. Their only win in the group stage came against Scotland. Patrik Schick scored a brace in that game including one of the goals of the tournament where he struck one from behind the halfway line.
They drew against Croatia and lost against England and were rather pedestrian in the process. It seems apparent that as Schick goes, so does Czech Republic.
England was the toughest opposition for the Czech and they were able to do a good job of negating Schick’s influence.
What this means is they are going to need other players to step up if they want to get past the Netherlands.
In contrast to England, the Netherlands are not afraid to put their best attacking players on the pitch and go on the offensive. Despite the change in formation, they’ve kept to some of their roots and still like to pressure the opponent on the ball.
The midfield partnership between Wijnaldum and Frenkie de Jong is one of the best in the tournament and they’ve both been heavily involved on both sides of the ball. They’re the first line of cover for the center-backs as well as the ones to start an attack.
Next. Euro 2020: Denmark thrash Wales; Italy squeak past Austria. dark
Czech Republic are going to have their hands full. What is certain is they are going to need to vastly improve from what they showed against England if they want to progress to the next round.