Dutch hitchhiker Matthijs de Ligt took an unexpected 0: 2 defeat with the Czech national team in the round of 16 of the European Championships. The defender of Juventus Turin was eliminated in the 55th minute in Budapest, and the charges of coach Jaroslav Šilhavý used the power play with goals by Tomáš Holeš and Patrik Schick.
In the fight with Schick, De Ligt stumbled and moved the ball with his hand, thus obstructing a clear goal opportunity. Russian referee Sergei Karasev first gave him a yellow card, which he changed to red after the intervention of the video referee and the review of the situation from the record.
“Actually we lost due to my mistake, it’s very bad and unpleasant. We had the game under control, but I let the ball bounce, which was not the right decision. After a light push, I fell and then reached for the balloon,” said De Ligt in an interview with Dutch television NOS.
“In the end, this moment changed the whole match. I shouldn’t have allowed anything like that. I watched helplessly as the team struggled in the last minutes. It’s really my fault.” added a twenty-one-year-old stopper.
He appreciated the performance of the Czech team. “They are physically strong and are not afraid to go into fights, we had a lot of work with them. In the first half we created a lot of chances, after a change of sides (Donyell) Malen went alone to the goalkeeper … It was a 50 to 50 match, but red card decided, “ said De Ligt.
The Dutch, who won all three matches in the group and were the only ones to score eight goals, did not score even once in the match for the first time since November 2013. “This Euro was a huge opportunity, but such a knockout hurts. We played well in the group and then we drop out in the round of 16 with the Czech Republic. It’s bitter.” said De Ligt.
According to coach “Oranje” Frank de Boer, his charges did not manage the key moments of the duel. “We had Donyell’s opportunity and we play at ten a few seconds later. One moment he can turn the world upside down,” said De Boer.
“We played with a tough opponent, but I think we were better in the red card. We dominated, even though it wasn’t our best match. Denzel (Dumfries) and Patrick (van Aanholt) were close in the first half, but they could have been final anyway. better quality passes, “ added the 51-year-old coach.
It is not yet clear about the future. “I am responsible for this defeat and at the end of the day I will look in the mirror. We will swallow this bitter loss and see what happens next.” stated De Boer.
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