2nd July, 2024
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Netherlands cruised into Euro 2024 quarter-finals on Tuesday after thrashing Romania 3-0 in the Round of 16.
Netherlands opened the scoring in the 20th minute. Cody Gakpo finished his beautiful individual effort with a superb strike from inside the box.
Stefan de Vrij, in the 26th minute outbattled the defender to win the ball from the corner, but he could not quite control his header and sent it just wide of the right post.
In the 58th minute, Virgil van Dijk latched on to the corner kick inside the box, but his header from near the penalty spot crashed against the right post.
Gakpo, in the 62nd minute wasted a huge opportunity. The fans already began to celebrate as he produced a shot from the edge of the box after a brilliant solo effort. The ball went towards the left side of the goal, but Florin Nita made an astonishing save.
A minute later, Gakpo pounced on a loose ball inside the box and beat the goalkeeper with a shot into the top of the net but the referee ruled out the goal for offside.
Netherlands made it 2-0 in the 83rd minute. Donyell Malen finished from close range with an easy finish after he was assisted Gakpo.
Three minutes into added time, an amazing individual effort from Donyell Malen ended with a strike from inside the penalty area. He sent the ball precisely into the bottom left corner and made it 3-0.
