Houston — The Netherlands’ convincing victory in the World Cup on Saturday has offered coach Ronald Koeman peace of mind as a sharp-looking attack cut Sweden apart and catapulted the Dutch closer to the next round.
There was an impressive precision to their forward play on Saturday as Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo both scored twice and substitute Crysencio Summerville added a fifth in an exciting 5-1 victory.
“With that first goal, you saw everything you want to see,” Koeman said of Gakpo’s precise cross and Brobbey’s finish to hand the Netherlands a quick lead in the fifth minute.
“It was a fantastic ball from Cody, and it gave us a fantastic start. That gives you confidence.”
The Dutch had twice let the lead slip in their opening Group F encounter against Japan in Dallas last weekend so the three points, and massive boost to their goal difference, were welcomed.
“Yes, of course, we needed this. When you start a tournament, you want to start well. It gives you peace of mind,” Koeman said at the post-match press conference.
“There was also a bit more pressure on us to win. Otherwise, everything would come down to the final group match, and you don’t want that.
“We did a lot of things well, but despite the 5-1 victory, you can still see that at certain moments, when the opposition changed the way they play, it took us too long to recognise it.
“It was a good win, but enough things happened that make you say: ‘something has to be better’. Otherwise, you’ve played a complete match. This one was very close to that,” he added.
Among the areas of concern was Donyell Malen on the right flank, played wide in a positional switch with Brobbey preferred as lead attacker.
Malen did not always make the right defensive decisions, said Koeman, and was taken off at halftime for Summerville, who did not start because of a slight hamstring niggle.
“I think Summerville is stronger defensively. We talk a lot with the players about recognising tactical changes on the pitch quicker. I understand that the substitution is difficult for Donyell, but this is top-level football. Team performances are what matter.
“Before the match, I sat down with him and explained why he would play on the right and that he would have the freedom to cut inside, because he is not a natural right winger.
“Donyell is certainly not being made the scapegoat; he could even start as the striker in the next match. Brobbey had some minor hamstring issues,” Koeman added.
Also Saturday
Ecuador 0, Curacao 0: Tiny Curacao battled to a 0-0 draw with Ecuador to earn the first World Cup point in the Caribbean island’s history on Saturday after an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Eloy Room enabled them to celebrate a landmark day.
Six days after being humbled 7-1 by Germany on their World Cup debut, Curacao — the smallest nation ever to reach the finals with a population of about 156,000 — produced a resilient display to frustrate the South Americans and keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Room was the standout figure, making 15 saves and just missing out on the World Cup record of 16 by American Tim Howard in 2014, as they withstood sustained pressure before earning a result that ranks among the finest in their sporting history.
The draw that confirmed Germany as Group E winners was a blow for Ecuador — who arrived at the tournament on a 19-game unbeaten run — and their fans, who were left deflated as chances went begging, leaving them with a point from two games.
Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1: At Toronto, Deniz Undav scored two goals off the bench as Germany pulled off a thrilling comeback in their World Cup Group E match, securing their place in the knockout stage for the first time since they won the title in 2014.
After having two goals disallowed in the first half, Germany did not lose focus and used intricate passing to find its way while the West Africans produced their dynamic brand of attacking football in a wild Group E clash.
Undav levelled the score with a controlled, volleyed finish in the 68th minute and struck again when he received a pass on the turn, before swivelling and firing home a ball that Yahia Fofana had no chance at stopping.
The versatile striker now has nine goals in his last eight matches.
Simon Adingra had a late chance for Ivory Coast but he failed to get a shot off in the area before Germany charged back down the field and Fofana blocked a low shot from Nathaniel Brown.
Ivory Coast had opened the scoring in the first half when Franck Kessie slotted home a rebound off a shot by Amad Diallo on a play created when Yan Diomande charged down the left side and sent in a cross.
With more than 100,000 people of German ancestry living in Toronto, Julian Nagelsmann’s men enjoyed plenty of support but were a frustrated group at the interval with nothing to show for their eight attempts on goal.
Germany looked to have opened the scoring when midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic rose to meet a short corner in the 25th minute but was deemed to have fouled Fofana in the process.
The ruling left Pavlovic with his hands atop his head in disbelief while Fofana received some attention after the collision and the partisan German crowd made its disdain for the referee’s decision known.
Shortly after it was Ivory Coast who finally broke through with Kessie’s goal. The West Africans have scored in their last seven matches at the tournament — the longest such sequence on the global stage in their history.
Germany once again put the ball in the back of the net but their celebrations were cut short as the referee determined that Jamal Musiala had fouled Odilon Kossounou in the build-up.
Germany tops Group E with six points and is through to the last 32 while Ivory Coast remains on three after two matches. Ecuador and Curacao meet in Kansas City later on Saturday.
Germany will close out the group stage against Ecuador on Thursday in New Jersey while Ivory Coast faces Curacao in Philadelphia.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: World Cup: Koeman can sleep easy after his Dutch side demolish Swedes
Reporting by Detroit News wire services / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Detroit News wire services | USA TODAY Network
