The Netherlands team achieved an important 4-0 victory over Montenegro in the qualifying phase for the Qatar-2022 World Cup this Saturday, guided by a double from Memphis Depay.
The new FC Barcelona player opened the account on 38th penalty and later scored on 62. Georginio Wijnaldum (70) and Cody Gakpo (76) later completed the win.
With 10 points, the Dutch are second in group G with the same units as Erling Haaland’s Norway, who won 2-0 in Latvia this Saturday. Both are overtaken by one point by Turkey, which maintains the lead after winning 3-0 on their visit to Gibraltar.
The main loser of the day in the fight for qualification to Qatar-2022 in that group is Montenegro, which started the day tied on points by the Netherlands and Norway, and is now fourth, three points behind those two teams and four. of the Turks.
After opening his new stage with Louis Van Gaal (70 years) as coach with a 1-1 draw in Oslo against the Norwegians on Wednesday, the ‘Oranje’ adds his first victory with the veteran coach, who has already led the team in other twice (2000-2001 and 2012-2014).
– Selfi with Depay –
In the first half, the Netherlands was superior and had the main chances.
Depay warned in the 18th with a shot on pass from Denzel Dumfries. Davy Klaassen sent slightly high on 29 and to the crossbar on 32.
In 37 came the opening of the scoreboard, with Depay transforming a penalty they had committed on himself.
In the second half, after a good chance for local Steven Berghuis (54), Montenegro touched the equalizer in 56, but Stefan Mugosa missed goalkeeper Justin Bijlow.
Shortly after, Depay killed the game with the second of the Dutch, in the 62, taking advantage of a lost ball in the area.
Wijnaldum (70), assisted by Berghuis, put the third and Cody Gakpo (76), to pass the rookie Tyrell Malacia, the fourth and final on the scoreboard of the Philips Stadion of the historic PSV Eindhoven.
The anecdote of the match was that a boy jumped onto the pitch with two minutes to go, carrying a phone in his hand, to take a selfie with Depay, who accepted with a smile. The boy retired to his seat very happy, in the middle of the ovation of the public and without the security agents intercepting him.
On Tuesday, in their last game in this window of international matches in September, the Netherlands will try to reach the lead with a stellar pulse at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam against Turkey, which at the start of the group beat them 4-2 in Istanbul .
Montenegro will try to heal their wounds in the home match against Latvia in Podgorica.