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The Oranje autobus had amended get a move on. A comfortable triumph complete Tunisia aft being sent connected their measurement by a record-equalling 12th ain extremity of nan tourney and further strikes from Brian Brobbey and Jan Paul van Hecke sealed apical spot successful Group F for nan Netherlands ahead of Japan.
Their prize is avoiding a gathering pinch Brazil successful nan past 32, pinch Ronald Koeman’s broadside now group for a mouthwatering showdown pinch Morocco successful Monterrey instead. Having arrived successful confederate Texas almost a period agone and already taken successful games successful Dallas, Houston and Kansas City, nan specially converted autobus that has go a fixture astatine caller awesome tournaments now faces a travel of much than 1,000 miles earlier Monday’s crippled successful bluish Mexico.
Numbers for nan Dutch supporters’ accepted march to nan stadium earlier successful nan time had been swelled by thousands of Kansas City locals, who usually debar wearing thing orangish because it’s nan colour of nan Chiefs’ NFL rivals nan Denver Broncos but had made an objection for 1 time only. Torrential rainfall and lightning storms brought an early extremity to nan pre-match festivities arsenic nan fanzone had to beryllium closed arsenic a shelter-in-place bid was issued astatine nan venue usually known arsenic nan Arrowhead Stadium. That was lifted an hr earlier kick-off arsenic nan threat of much thunder and lightning fortunately dissipated, though nan exposed vessel meant ponchos were still required to combat nan elements during nan 2nd half.
Koeman defended Frenkie de Jong from a media backlash aft he responded to disapproval by saying “in reality, galore group don’t understand football” aft their 5-1 thrashing of Sweden successful nan past match. Despite immoderate wounded concerns, nan Barcelona midfielder ran nan show again aft he was included successful a virtually full-strength broadside only missing Tottenham’s Mickey van de Ven and Crysencio Summerville aft some picked up yellowish cards successful erstwhile matches.
Hervé Renard was watching nan World Cup connected vacation successful Senegal erstwhile he sewage nan telephone to switch Sabri Lamouchi pursuing Tunisia’s 5-1 thrashing successful their opener against Sweden. This was nan Frenchman’s 145th crippled arsenic an world head having antecedently taken complaint of 5 different African countries, including 2 stints successful complaint of Zambia. The dashing 57-year-old who was successful complaint of Saudi Arabia erstwhile they shocked Argentina astatine nan past World Cup hinted beforehand that he could beryllium tempted to enactment pinch nan Carthage Eagles beyond this tourney because “I missed Africa”.
Renard whitethorn person 2nd thoughts aft nan measurement his broadside defended successful nan first 10 minutes. They should person been up wrong 70 seconds erstwhile Ismael Gharbi – 1 of 4 changes from nan thrashing against Japan – spurned a superb opportunity wrong nan Dutch area from Hazem Mastouri’s pass. The Netherlands went up little than a infinitesimal later erstwhile Ellyes Skhiri comically diverted a vulnerable transverse from Denzel Dumfries past his ain goalkeeper to adjacent nan people group successful Qatar 4 years agone earlier nan group stages person moreover been completed. Brobbey doubled nan lead erstwhile an unmarked Virgil van Dijk picked retired nan likewise undetected Sunderland striker from a free-kick.
The mini number of Tunisia fans wrong nan stadium must person feared nan worst astatine that point. But their broadside could person been backmost successful it if Norwich’s Anis Ben Slimane had directed his header a gait either broadside of Bart Verbruggen.
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With Japan being held by Sweden astatine half-time, nan Netherlands could beryllium forgiven for taking their ft disconnected nan gas. Dumfries almost had a 3rd astatine nan commencement of nan 2nd half erstwhile his goalbound volley was blocked.
But Mastouri’s header from Hannibal Mejbri’s area was followed by news that Daezen Maeda had fixed Japan nan lead successful Dallas. Any nerves were swiftly followed by Van Hecke’s header from a area to respire nan two-goal cushion, pinch cheers greeting Anthony Elanga’s equaliser for Sweden erstwhile nan people was flashed up connected nan large screen.
A delightful spot from Tijjani Reijnders that struck nan crossbar would person put nan icing connected nan barroom for nan Netherlands earlier nan substitute Memphis Depay almost connected pinch a spectacular acrobatic effort precocious on. But Koeman will cognize that a battle-hardened Morocco will coming a overmuch stiffer trial than sorry Tunisia.
