Netherlands Advances To Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals With Commanding Win Over Romania

The Netherlands secured a spot in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory over Romania, thanks to Cody Gakpo's goal and Donyell Malen's two strikes off the bench. Gakpo's powerful low drive beat Florin Nita 20 minutes in, calming the Oranje's nerves. They dominated from that point onward.

After Gakpo's opener, the Netherlands controlled the game. Virgil van Dijk hit the woodwork, and Gakpo had a potential second goal disallowed. Late in the match, Gakpo set up Malen for a second goal before Malen added another in stoppage time. The Dutch now look forward to facing Austria or Turkiye in the quarter-finals.

Romania started brightly but couldn't maintain their momentum. Dennis Man's early 20-yard drive went over the bar, and soon after, Gakpo cut inside Andrei Ratiu to score from the left side of the area. Nita could have done better as the ball slipped past him at his near post.

Cody Gakpo is now joint-top scorer at Euro 2024 with three goals. He joins Jamal Musiala, Georges Mikautadze, and Ivan Schranz at the top of the scoring charts. Only Kylian Mbappe has scored more goals across the last two major tournaments among European players.

The Dutch pressure continued after halftime. Ratiu's desperate tackle prevented Memphis Depay from scoring into an open net. Van Dijk then headed against the post just before the hour mark. Depay later forced Nita into action with a powerful 25-yard strike but was denied a brace by VAR for offside.

Romania's Struggles

Romania thrilled fans with an opening victory over Ukraine but struggled afterward. They were fortunate to escape their group, facing 46 shots—the second-most among teams progressing from the group stage. Against the Netherlands, they managed only five shots compared to 23 from their opponents.

The extent of Dutch dominance was clear as they earned 10 first-half corners—only Sweden had more in an opening period at Euro 2000 since 1980. Joey Veerman came close when he rolled his shot wide after finding space on the left of the box.

Gakpo did well to keep possession under pressure from Radu Dragusin, setting up Malen for a clinching goal seven minutes from time. With Romania dejected, Malen doubled his tally in stoppage time by finishing into the bottom-left corner on a breakaway.

Looking Ahead

The Netherlands will approach their quarter-final tie with confidence, knowing they might face England in a potential semi-final clash. Their performance against Romania showcased their strength and depth as they aim for further success in Euro 2024.