Qatar’s terrible World Cup campaign ends as Netherlands advance.
Netherlands beat Qatar 2-0 to top Group A at the 2022 World Cup.
Cody Gakpo gave the Dutch a first-half lead with a signature strike as Louis van Gaal started Memphis Depay and Marten de Roon.
Frenkie de Jong scored early in the second half, but a Steven Berghuis tap-in was ruled off after 68 minutes due to a suspect handball ruling against Gakpo.
The Dutch will meet the Group B runner-up in the round of 16. Qatar finishes with 0 points after 3 matches.
Reaction speed
1. Dutch success
This Dutch performance will give Group B’s second-place team fuel for thought, but not panic. Moments of class from the Netherlands, like Gakpo’s finish, were rare.
PSV and Eredivisie fans have seen Gakpo’s goal this season, when he cuts in from the left and scores with his right foot. His give-and-go with Davy Klaassen, who has a goal and two assists, created space. Gakpo’s worth is rising after his breakout World Cup.
This match was otherwise sloppy. Dutch had possession and territory but wasted chances. This was Depay’s first World Cup start after recovering from injury, but he squandered a good chance in the first half and mishandled passes with the Dutch.
Second half was roomier. Depay finally got close to the goalie, but De Jong buried the rebound. Another breakaway was denied for handball.
The Dutch are done. They advance with two clean sheets, seven points. Van Gaal isn’t worried about injuries. We still haven’t seen this team perform consistently. Gakpo’s brilliance helped them overcome Senegal 2-0 in their opener, but they only managed two efforts on goal in their 1-1 tie with Ecuador. They should have scored easily.
2. Gakpo shines, but other emerging talents must wait
Van Gaal’s team choice was surprising. Van Gaal said Depay won’t start as they manage his return and that Xavi Simons may get a chance.
Van Gaal started Depay ahead of Steven Bergwijn and De Roon in midfield. The Dutch might make a statement in the tournament. It would have been a great opportunity for Simons to show Van Gaal where he is.
Simons, along with PSV teammate Gakpo, has succeeded in the Dutch league this season. Several European giants are interested in him, but he hasn’t played for Van Gaal at the World Cup.
Van Gaal chose for Steven Berghuis and Vincent Janssen to give the squad some momentum in the second half, and they made an immediate impact to combine for a cruelly called out goal, but this game was begging for Simons to be given a chance.
3. Qatar in World Cup history
Qatar finished with 0 points from 3 games, making history. First host nation to lose all three group-stage matches. It’s not the return they expected. Nine days after opening night, the Al Bayt Stadium was silent. The stadium wasn’t full, which was odd considering the hosts were playing, and the only noise was a drum and a small patch of jumping fans behind the goal.
Prematch, manager Felix Sanchez claimed the team would have “loved a better circumstance” but lauded the players’ achievements leading up to the competition. He did say the squad is “behind,” which is fair.
Qatar occasionally caused problems. They found delight behind the Netherlands’ forward fullbacks, but their final ball was wayward, and Virgil van Dijk easily collected it.
The highlight of the team’s three matches was Mohammed Muntari’s goal in a 3-1 loss to Senegal. Qatar will have a greater chance of advancing past the group stage in the 48-team World Cup. Qatar’s team fell short despite high hopes for a magical run.
Player ratings (1-10).
Denzel Dumfries, Nathan Ake, Virgil van Dijk, Jurrien Timber, Daley Blind, Marten de Roon, Frenkie de Jong, Davy Klaassen, Cody Gakpo, Memphis Depay.
Steven Berghuis, Vincent Janssen, Wout Weghorst, Teun Koopmeiners, Kenneth Taylor.
Meshaal Barsham (6), Boualem Khoukhi (6), Pedro Miguel (5), Homam Ahmed (5), Ismail Mohamad (6), Abdelkarim Hassan (6), Abdulaziz Hatem (6), Hassan Al-Haydos (5), Assim Madibo (6), Almoez
Ali Asad 6, Musaab Khadir 6, Ahmed Al-Aaeldin 6 subs.
Performance rankings
FRENKIE DE JONG
Barça’s playmaker was the best player. He was the heart of the Dutch performance and, with Gakpo, the best Dutch player thus far.
ALMOEZ ALI:
Qatar’s striker had a forgettable outing against the Dutch, failing to score.
Some highlights
Gakpo’s place as one of the tournament’s breakout players was established when he opened the scoring.
De Jong doubled his team’s lead. His first World Cup goal couldn’t have been easier.
“Cody Gakpo is a very young player, he’s only been playing for PSV for two or three years… [he] has all it takes to become a star and a beautiful personality since he’s open to everything and anything… “
We didn’t allow up many chances, ball control was greater than against Ecuador, and Memphis scored two goals. Exactly. We must bring Memphis into the game gradually, and Marten de Roon hasn’t played in six weeks, so I had to adapt my vision to include guys who weren’t fit, and I’m happy with that decision. Matthijs de Ligt was hurt before the World Cup, but they’ve all recovered.
Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands: “We’re through. We had greater ball control than recent games.
Qatar coach Felix Sanchez: “With 6000 licenced players, this seemed likely. We never aimed for the round of 16 or quarterfinals. Our purpose was to compete and prove ourselves. We have a long-term plan that doesn’t depend on me or anyone else, so we’ll rest if you let us, then start working.”
Summary
Cody Gakpo, 23, is the youngest Dutch player to score three World Cup goals.
The PSV forward is the first Dutch player to score in every group-stage game.
Gakpo is one of three players in the last five World Cups to score in each of their team’s first three games.
Frenkie de Jong scored for the Netherlands. In September 2019, he scored against Germany in a Euro 2020 qualification.
Qatar became the first World Cup host to lose three games.
Qatar’s -6 goal difference is the worst ever for a World Cup host. Brazil set the previous record in 2014 (-3), courtesy to a 7-1 semifinal loss to Germany.
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