Cody Gakpo and Frenkie de Jong scored the goals as Netherlands got the job done against hosts Qatar in their last Group A game at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Doha on Tuesday.
The 2-0 result allowed the Dutch team to clinch top position in the group. While their play hasn’t been spectacular, they will know they have earned themselves a place in the last 16.
Qatar, on the other hand, became the first host nation in World Cup history to go out of their own tournament without winning a single point. The poor showing at the World Cup will serve as a harsh lesson and perhaps help them find a higher level in the future.
Cody Gakpo once again showed why he is being courted by so many top clubs around the world. He started the tournament with a perfectly timed run to head home a beautifully weighted cross from Frenkie de Jong, then slammed in an unstoppable left-footer, and on Tuesday rounded it off with a goal from his right foot in the 26th minute against Qatar. He clearly is the complete package and if you hadn’t paid too much attention to him earlier, you will be doing that now.
The 23-year-old already has 13 goals and 17 assists for PSV Eindhoven in all competitions this season and has been heavily linked with a possible move to a top European club, most notably Manchester United.
A little later in the match, Frenkie de Jong pounced on the rebound after Memphis Depay’s shot at the Qatar goal was kept out by the keeper. De Jong was the fastest to react to the loose ball and got just ahead of the Qatari defender to tap in.
The Dutch had the ball in the net once more after substitutes Steven Berghuis and Vincent Janssen combined but the former’s strike was ruled out after a VAR consultation showed that there was a Gakpo handball in the build-up.
The winners of Group A will face the Group B runners-up in the last 16, while the second-placed team will take on the other group’s winners.
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