The Netherlands have qualified for the World Cup in Qatar. On Tuesday evening, the Elftal won a weak game with two late goals against Norway 2-0 and thus secured their ticket to the World Cup finals.
When referee Clemens Turpin put an end to the game with the final whistle, the statistics spoke a clear language. The Netherlands had fired 10-2 shots on goal, they had achieved a clear plus in possession of the ball in the 90 minutes (65 percent), and they had won the majority of tackles (63 percent).
It was a strange scene on Tuesday evening in front of empty stands in Rotterdam, but in the end the Elftal victory was fully deserved. Oranje had determined the game against Norway from the start and brought the World Cup qualification under one roof with the safe 2-0.
What the team of Bondscoach Louis van Gaal delivered was brilliant, but as I said, not. While the 70-year-old was in the stands , his team dominated the game, but rarely had scoring opportunities. A harmless header from Depay (13th), a low shot from Danjuma (26th), another header from Depay (27th) and a little later a long-range shot from the 27-year-old (40th) – it was nothing more than that the Netherlands managed in the first 45 minutes.
Orange playing with fire
A draw would have been enough for Elftal; But because Turkey took the lead after an hour in the parallel game in Montenegro, it was clear: A goal for Norway and the Netherlands would suddenly only be third in Group G.
But: The Scandinavians were simply penniless. With the exception of a harmless conclusion by substitute Thorstvedt (55th), Oranje did not allow anything and decided the game in the final phase: First Bergwijn hit after a pass from Danjuma with a full shot under the crossbar (84th), then Depay followed up the end of a long run from Bergwijn (90th + 1).
