Ryan Gravenberch in a duel with Benjamin Tahirovic during the home game. – Photo: KNVB Media
The Dutch national team will meet Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening (8:45 p.m.) in Zenica during the final group match of the UEFA Nations League. With the eleven facts below you are optimally prepared for this competition.
- After the 4-0 win over Hungary, the Dutch team has already qualified for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League. The Netherlands finishes second in group 3, behind Germany. Bosnia and Herzegovina has already been relegated after one point from five games.
- During the UEFA Nations League in 2020, the away match in Zenica ended 0-0. The Dutch team won 3-1 at home.
- The third meeting was on September 7 this year. The Dutch won no less than 5-2 thanks to goals from Joshua Zirkzee, Tijjani Reijnders, Cody Gakpo, Wout Weghorst and Xavi Simons. On behalf of the guests, Ermedin Demirovic and Edin Dzeko returned the favor.
Summary of the first meeting in Eindhoven.
- The Dutch team travels to Bosnia and Herzegovina without Frenkie de Jong and Virgil van Dijk. Both players are rested on medical grounds. The selection therefore consists of 23 men.
- Two players in the selection of Bosnia and Herzegovina are active in the Dutch competition. Benjamin Tahirovic has been playing for Ajax since last year. Luka Kelenovic came over from Czech side Slovan Liberec to Heracles Almelo this summer.
- The most famous and experienced player in national coach Sergej Barbarez’s team is Edin Dzeko. The striker of Fenerbahce (and in the past played for Manchester City, AS Roma and Internazionale, among others) has no fewer than 138 international matches to his name. He was accurate 67 times.
Edin Dzeko in action during the match in Eindhoven.
- Bosnia took a big beating last Friday. Germany was too strong in Freiburg with no less than 7-0.
- The draw for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League will take place next Friday in Nyon. The Dutch team will meet one of the three other group winners. This means that the Netherlands will have to compete against Portugal, France or Spain.
- The quarter-finals are scheduled for March 20 and 23, 2025. The Dutch team first plays at home. With a win, the Netherlands will qualify for the final round from 4 to 8 June 2025.
- Tijjani Reijnders and Mats Wieffer are on edge. If these players receive a yellow card, they are suspended for the first match in the quarter-finals. Cards that do not lead to a suspension expire after the group stage.
- The match in Zenica will be led by Aliyar Aghayev. The referee from Azerbaijan has never refereed a match for the Dutch national team before. He has international experience in both the Champions League and the Europa League.
What are some key strategies both teams are likely to employ based on their previous encounters?
As the website editor for world-today-news.com, I would like to introduce our two guests for today’s interview about the upcoming match between the Netherlands and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA Nations League. Joining us today are Tijjani Reijnders, a midfielder for the Dutch national team, and Benjamin Tahirovic, a defender for Bosnia and Herzegovina who currently plays for Ajax.
Firstly, would you like to start by giving us a brief overview of the match on September 7th, 2022 in Eindhoven, where the Netherlands won against Bosnia and Herzegovina with a convincing 5-2 scoreline? Could you also share your personal experience during that match and how you contributed to the victory?
Tijjani Reijnders: Well, it was a tough game, but I think as a team, we played well. I managed to get an assist in the game, and it felt great to be part of such an important victory for the squad. We’re looking forward to the upcoming game in Zenica and hope to bring home another positive result.
Benjamin Tahirovic: That game was definitely challenging for us. As for me, I didn’t get much playing time, but I learned a lot from my teammates and the experience overall. We made some mistakes that cost us dearly, but we’re looking to improve in the upcoming match.
Now, moving on to the current situation, the Dutch team is without key players like Frenkie de Jong and Virgil van Dijk due to rest during this match. How do you think this will affect the team’s performance? And with two players from your squad playing in the Dutch league, what can you tell us about your familiarity with the opposing team?
Tijjani Reijnders: Of course, it’s always tough when you don’t have your top players available, but we have a strong bench, and I’m sure everyone is ready to step up. As for the familiarity, I know Benjamin quite well from training with him at Ajax, but it’s not the same as playing against him in a competitive match. However, we’ll prepare well and be ready for anything.
Benjamin Tahirovic: For us
