The Dutch team drew against Hungary on Friday evening. In the Nations League, the Hungarians took the lead, after which, to make matters worse, the Dutch national team was reduced to ten men after a red card for Virgil van Dijk. Ultimately it was Denzel Dumfries who managed to save a point in the final phase: 1-1. Ajax players Brian Brobbey and Jorrel Hato came on for the Dutch team.
FT | Hungary – Netherlands (1-1)
The first goal attempt of the match came from Hungary. While Xavi Simons was lying on the ground, a shot was made on goal, but the ball went high over the goal of Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. The Hungarians also had their first serious chance of the match. A corner was cleverly taken, creating a shooting opportunity for Roland Sallai. However, the attacker aimed the ball at the post.
The Dutch made their fans wait almost half an hour before taking a shot on goal. Van Dijk managed to find Tijjani Reijnders between the lines, after which the latter opened up and took a shot. However, Dénes Dibusz, Hungary’s goalkeeper, saw the ball coming straight towards him.
Almost immediately afterwards, another goal attempt by the Netherlands followed. Quinten Timber received a falling ball right in front of his feet and took a hard swing, but his sights were not focused. Sallai did that a little later, as Hungary took the lead in the 32nd minute. Reijnders lost the ball too easily in midfield, after which the opponent was able to provide an early cross. The organization in the Dutch backline was then not in order, allowing Sallai to score at the far post.
Before half-time, the Netherlands had another chance with an indirect free kick in Hungary’s penalty area, but it was ultimately Cody Gakpo who failed to put the ball under the keeper. As a result, both teams headed to the changing rooms with a 1-0 score.
Unchanged Orange
The Dutch team started the second half unchanged. The first danger after the break came from Stefan de Vrij. The defender grazed the ball after a free kick from Gakpo, but found keeper Dibusz in his way. After about an hour of playing football, a great opportunity arose for the Dutch team. Reijnders chose a good position and was reached, but the midfielder – who could have fired at goal – choked on his own footwork and missed the opportunity. De Vrij and Reijnders alternated, because the next serious chance was for the latter. The midfielder cleared himself well in the box but shot the ball past the Hungarians’ goal.
Twenty minutes before the end, Joshua Zirkzee got a chance. He saw the ball fall at his feet in the penalty area, but in the end was given just too little space to produce a goal attempt. More than fifteen minutes before the end, Ronald Koeman intervened with three substitutions. Brian Brobbey, Donyell Malen and Guus Til came on for Zirkzee, De Vrij and Timber. An opportunity soon arose for Brobbey. The striker of Ajax and therefore also the Dutch team received a cross from Gakpo and was able to head towards the Hungary goal, but he nodded wide.
Red card Van Dijk
After this, things went wrong even further for the Netherlands, as the Dutch team ultimately ended the match with ten men. Captain Virgil van Dijk received two yellow cards within a few minutes and that was ultimately good for the red card. To put things right, Koeman decided to bring in Matthijs de Ligt. He came in for Simons.
While it seemed to be a hopeless mission for the Dutch team after Van Dijk was sent away, nothing could be further from the truth. It was Dumfries who managed to head home from a free kick by Gakpo just under ten minutes before the end, thus putting the Netherlands at 1-1. The Dutch had to settle for that and so they drew against Hungary.
Hungary line-up:
Dibus; Fiola, Orbán, M. Dárdai (Botka 46′); Bolla, Nikitscher, Schäfer, Z. Nagy; Szoboszlai, Sallai (Csoboth 65′); Varga.
Hungary substitutions:
Tóth, Szappanos, Szucs, Schön, A. Nagy, Ádám, P. Dárdai, Gazdag, Kata, Botka, .
Netherlands setup:
Bridge; Dumfries, De Vrij (Malen 76′), Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Gravenberch, Reijnders, Q. Timber (Til 76′); Simons (De Ligt 81′), Zirkzee (Brobbey 76′), Gakpo (Hato 88′).
Bills of exchange in the Netherlands:
Fleken, Olij, Brobbey, Frimpong, Geertruida, Hato, Kluivert, De Ligt, Maatsen, Malen, Til, Wieffer.
Goals:
1-0 Roland Sallai (32′)
1-1 Denzel Dumfries (83′)
Details:
– Red card (twice yellow) for Virgil van Dijk (79′)
