World Cup qualifying series: The Netherlands at home against Latvia

The second World Cup qualifying match towards the World Cup in Qatar is scheduled for Saturday. In it, the Netherlands plays at home against Latvia. Both countries started their series with a defeat. The Netherlands lost 4-2 to Turkey, and Latvia lost 1-2 at home against Montenegro. Can national coach Frank de Boer turn the tide on Saturday?

Frank de Boer: “Still nine games to go”

The World Cup qualification towards Qatar 2022 consists of ten matches. The away game against Turkey was perhaps the most difficult right away. It immediately went (well) wrong, but according to national coach Frank de Boer, this is not a reason for panic: “Of course this was not good and we are also very disappointed by this defeat. But there are still nine games to go. It is important to turn your back and turn the tide quickly.”

Lesson ineffectiveness

De Boer emphasized that Latvia is a different country from Turkey, which he thinks has put a good pot on the mat: “The Turks have taught us a lesson ineffectiveness. We still have to analyze our mistakes with the first and second goal, but you can say that they handled the chances we gave them well. They have not been in front of our goal very often, but it was also immediately dangerous if they were there. The Turks played well, but we normally have to beat Turkey. It went wrong several times at crucial moments, and we also have a few bad luck at decisive moments. The Turks should not complain about happiness,”, Frank de Boer concludes his analysis.

Georginio Wijnaldum: “Giving away too many opportunities.”

After the match against Turkey, captain Georginio Wijnaldum said that at times situations that occurred on the field were not appropriately handled: “We have given away too many chances. We also have some bad luck with the referee, but we also neglect to intervene properly when necessary. There are more than fifteen seconds between the moment we claim a penalty and their goal. In that, we had time to put things right. We don’t do that, and you will already be behind the facts in the first half”, said the visibly disappointed midfielder of Orange and Liverpool.

The Netherlands at home against Latvia: “Response Saturday”

Burak Yilmaz (Lille) was the big man with the Turks with three hits. There was actually not a single star on the Dutch side, and there was mainly talk about the lack of Jasper Cillessen and Virgil van Dijk.

According to Wijnaldum, something really needs to change if the Netherlands plays at home against Latvia on Saturday in the Johan Cruijff Arena: “If you look at our game, it really needs to be improved. We do not give home at crucial moments. We just have to reach our normal level, and then there is nothing wrong. In this kind of matches, we should not look at the ref but at ourselves. We must respond to Latvia on Saturday. It must be better, and we will do everything we can.”