Netherlands v Qatar: Key moments as Dutch secure top spot in Group A
Catch-up with stats and extended coverage from Netherlands v Qatar on Flashscore
90+2' OFF THE BAR! Steven Berghuis (Netherlands) unleashes a thunderous effort from the edge of the box and the ball crashes off the woodwork. What a strike that was!
86' The referee stops play so that a substitution can be made and Frenkie de Jong leaves the pitch and Kenneth Taylor (Netherlands) comes on.
85' Felix Sanchez Bas has decided to make a change. Musab Khoder (Qatar) replaces Ismaeel Mohammad.
85' The referee stops play so that a substitution can be made and Abdulaziz Hatem departs the field of play to be replaced by Ahmed Alaaeldin (Qatar).
82' Substitution. Marten de Roon leaves the pitch and is replaced by Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands).
82' Louis van Gaal prepares a substitution. Cody Gakpo is replaced by Wout Weghorst (Netherlands).
80' Half-chance! Homam Ahmed (Qatar) plays a pass into the box, but Andries Noppert reacts well to snuff out the attack.
70' The Netherlands players’ celebrations are quickly cut short after referee Bakary Gassama signals NO GOAL following the VAR review due to a handball.
69' Houston, we have a problem! The referee has indicated that there will be a VAR review of the goal to look at a possible handball. The Netherlands players aren’t happy.
68' 3 - 0 Steven Berghuis (Netherlands) receives a killer pass and scores a great goal after finding the back of the net with a simple finish!
66' Memphis Depay goes off the pitch and Vincent Janssen (Netherlands) comes on.
66' Louis van Gaal has decided to introduce fresh legs, with Steven Berghuis (Netherlands) replacing Davy Klaassen.
64' Substitution. Hasan Al Haydos will be replaced by Ali Assadalla (Qatar).
64' Felix Sanchez Bas has decided to substitute Almoez Ali and he is replaced by Mohammed Muntari (Qatar).
64' It's time for a substitution. That's the last involvement from Assim Omer Madibo as he is replaced by Karim Boudiaf (Qatar).
52' Nathan Ake (Netherlands) is booked after bringing down an opponent. Bakary Gassama had an easy-decision to make.
49' 2 - 0 Goal! Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands) was in the right place at the right time to get to the rebound inside the box and gleefully rifles the ball into the right side of the goal. It's 2:0.
49' Memphis Depay (Netherlands) gets inside the box and tries to beat Meshaal Barsham with a measured shot into the left side of the goal, but the keeper is equal to the effort and makes a fine save.
46' The referee blows his whistle to signal the start of the second half.
45+3' That is it for the first half after the referee blows his whistle and the players head to their respective dressing rooms.
26' 1 - 0 Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) with a wonderful piece of finishing. He makes a yard for himself after a well-taken pass inside the box and nets inside the right post.
26' Memphis Depay (Netherlands) makes a run into the box and gets on the end of a cross, but his well-taken shot crashes into a defender and is cleared away.
14' The ball rebounds off the defender into the path of Memphis Depay (Netherlands), who immediately strikes for goal from inside the box but sends it a whisker over the bar.
4' Daley Blind (Netherlands) picks up the rebound after chaos in the box and directs a sweet strike towards the middle of the goal. The goalkeeper, however, makes a stunning save.
1' Here we go, today's match is starting right now.
Pre-match
The Dutch scored with their only shot on target against Qatar, which was rather fortuitous, and explains why Van Gaal was also eager to remind his players about “the quality of the opponents we have yet to face is at a much higher level”.
Just one point shouldn’t be too much to ask for a Dutch side that has lost just one of their last 25 internationals (W18, D6). That’s not to mention that the Oranje finished second and third in their last two World Cup tournaments, so they’ll be eyeing up a victory which could see them seal top spot and secure a last 16 clash against the runners-up of Group B.
It has been a particularly poor showing from Qatar at this tournament with a pair of group stage defeats already cementing their place as the worst-performing host nation in the competition’s 92-year history. Manager Félix Sánchez was curiously upbeat in the aftermath when stating that his side shouldn’t be branded a “failure and a disappointment”, but they could set another unwanted record as the first host nation to lose all of their games if they fall again.
Sánchez’s side does have some experience against European opponents after they were partnered with the five teams in Group A of the European World Cup qualifiers in a series of friendlies. Qatar may be better for the experience, but with their only wins against UEFA nations during that run coming against Azerbaijan and Luxembourg, it’s hard to make a strong case that they’ll finish on a high by securing a big European scalp here.
Netherlands starting XI: Noppert, Ake, van Dijk, Timber, Blind, de Jong, de Roon, Dumfries, Klaassen, Depay, Gakpo
Qatar starting XI: Barsham, Mohammad, Pedro Miguel, Khoukhi, Hassan, Ahmed, Al Haydos, Madibo, Hatem, Almoez Ali, Afif
Players to watch: Dutchman Cody Gakpo has been in flying form, only failing to make a goal contribution in one of his last seven appearances for club & country (G2, A6), and he has scored with both of his two shots at this tournament! Whatever happens here, Mohammed Muntari’s name will forever be etched in the history books as Qatar’s first-ever scorer at a World Cup after his consolation goal against Senegal last time out.
Hot stat: Just one of Qatar’s last nine internationals produced a goalless first half.
World Cup trivia: Though legal now, swapping shirts was officially banned in 1986 by FIFA to stop players ‘baring their chests’ on the pitch.
