Netherlands fightback to crush Irish hopes of qualification

Euro 2024 Qualifier

Group B

Republic of Ireland 1-2 The Netherlands

The Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign is all but over following a 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands at the Aviva Stadium.

Stephen Kenny’s side enjoyed the perfect start as Adam Idah converted a penalty with just three minutes on the clock.

However, the Dutch hit back after 19 minutes with a spot-kick of their own as Cody Gakpo dispatched the penalty.

Ireland had no response once substitute Wout Weghourst added a second early in the second half as the Dutch coasted to victory.

It was an incredible opening to the game at the Aviva Stadium as the Netherlands almost handed Ireland the lead inside the first minute as they were caught in possession with a short goal-kick.

Alan Browne anticipated the keeper’s pass to Frenkie de Jong just inside the box, allowing Idah pick the ball up before squaring to Chiedozie Ogbene in a better position.

The striker’s shot was well blocked, however, as Ireland felt the opportunity was gone, settling for a corner kick.

But then another gift from the visitors, albeit a very fortuitous one, as Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk missed his header and the ball caught his trailing arm that was naturally away from his body.

The referee pointed straight to the spot and the VAR was happy with the onfield decision.

Idah took on the responsibility from 12 yards, and while he had to wait an extra moment or two before the whistle was blown, he showed real composure and a calm head, before slamming the ball into the bottom left corner as Mark Flekken went the opposite way.

The Dutch were obviously rattled from the remarkable start to the game and failed to react to the goal, unable to work their way into the Ireland final third in the opening ten minutes.

And then James McClean hit Denzel Dumfries with a reducer to rally the crowd once again, a challenge aimed to antagonise and one that had the Dutch captain Van Dijk in the referee’s ear looking for punishment and protection.

Browne had enjoyed a great start to the game in his more advanced position, while also tracking dangerous midfielder de Jong, and he had a chance at the back post in the 13th minute following sustained Ireland pressure but his header was blocked by the covering defender.

But then Ireland let the visitors back into the game as a crossfield ball was initially well read by Matt Doherty, but then his tame header inside was picked up by Gakpo.

The Liverpool man strode forward before sliding a beautiful through ball as McClean lost his man while Shane Duffy and John Egan were dissected by the quality of the ball.

Dumfries raced through on goal before he was cleaned out of it by Gavin Bazunu – the keeper picked up a card but was perhaps thankful to stay on the pitch.

Gakpo restored parity with the 19th-minute spot-kick; Bazunu a little unlucky not to keep it out, making contact before it squeezed past and into the back of the net.

The goal settled the Dutch and they suddenly started playing with real intelligence, crisp passing into space with runners always adding options to the man on the ball; the front three dropping deep and their movement was proving a real concern for the Ireland defence.

Midway through the half, they could have taken the lead following another slick passing move with John Egan caught for pace, allowing Donyell Malen in on goal.

Nathan Collins was trying to cover and while he did not get there, he may have done enough to distract, as the shot was blasted straight at Bazunu, who parried before the ball was cleared.

In the 30th minute, Idah was sent racing through, battling with Van Dijk, who was the last man.

The Ireland striker appeared to get enough on the ball to take it away from the Liverpool defender, but Van Dijk hit the turf and the referee bought it, awarding a free out.

Nathan Ake was then penalised a minute later for pulling Ogbene back following great hold-up play from the Ireland striker.

The free from 30-odd yards out from goal was hit by Browne but his curling effort was never coming back inside the right post.

But Ireland were back to their destructive best as Browne again broke down the play on the edge of the box and Idah’s clever lay-off led to a carbon copy of the chance from the opening minute, as Ogbene’s shot was deflected for a corner – this time the Dutch dealt with it handily and hands free.

End to end as the Netherlands were clearly here for all three points, and won another corner in the 35th-minute, and while Dumfries did well to rise at the back post, his header was off target.

Another great chance presented itself for the Dutch four minutes before the break as McClean was caught trying to get in front of his man, allowing Malen another opportunity on goal.

Again racing in from the right, the striker smashed it low to the keeper’s right but Bazunu was up to the challenge and made a fine stop with his outstretched right foot.

Ronald Koeman’s side remained on the front foot as the break approached with Xavi Simons’ dipping effort clearing the bar, which proved the last real action of the first half.

A double Dutch substitution at the break as the big man, Wout Weghorst, was sent into action, along with AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders.

Browne was again on hand to stop more dangerous Dutch play six minutes after the break, this time defending his goal as he slid in ahead of Simons to make vital contact as the forward looked set to slide the ball home from eight yards out.

In the 56th minute, the stadium was silenced.

Weghorst stole in to complete the simplest of finishes following a clever move down the right, as the ball was clipped over McClean, while Duffy kept Dumfries onside.

The ball was duly delivered on a plate for the former Manchester United man and the striker made no mistake with the finish.

Ireland had yet to get going after the break, and once again conceded early in the second half, as was the case in France on Thursday night.

A huge reaction was now needed, but it did not immediately arrive as the Dutch sat back, and once in possession, were able to hold onto the ball, spending the next ten minutes deep inside the Ireland half.

Ryan Manning’s introduction was the manager’s sole response during that time, appearing to just change like for like with McClean making way.

There was a reaction though, as Ireland finally got up the pitch and when Ogbene went over, the crowd came to life calling for another spot-kick, but this time the referee wasn’t interested and his decision was spot-on as Van Dijk’s contact was minimal.

It took the manager 17 minutes to alter his formation and sacrifice one of the three centre-halves before Will Smallbone and Jamie McGrath were sent on.

The Dutch were happy to sit on their lead, however, and cleverly slowed the play while wasting time at every opportunity.

In the 82nd minute, Ireland looked to play the ball into the box, but the Dutch burst forward with numbers, as Simons ran the ball the length of the pitch to the edge of the box.

Orange shirts aplenty in support but McGrath matched the run, having previously played a timid pass to lose possession, and made a vital sliding clearance to prevent a real opportunity.

It ensured that Ireland had something to play for in the closing stages, however, the defence had to be alert once more a minute later as Duffy had to make a vital tackle on substitute Noa Lang who had burst into the box.

In truth, Ireland did not possess the quality on the pitch to threaten an equaliser and the introduction of Festy Ebosele and Sinclair Amstrong, making his senior debut, a last roll of the dice.

A corner kick as the clock ticked past the 90-minute mark, but the Dutch defence did their job, and as Ireland played the ball backwards from a throw-in, the groans from the crowd suggested that they had thrown in the towel.

A constant stream of green jerseys leaving the stadium throughout the five minutes of injury time just added insult to injury as the Euro 2024 campaign petered out with three games remaining.

Republic of Ireland: Gavin Bazunu; Nathan Collins, Shane Duffy, John Egan (Jamie McGrath 73); Matt Doherty (Festy Ebosele 87), James McClean (Ryan Manning 64), Josh Cullen, Alan Browne (Will Smallbone 73), Jason Knight (Sinclair Armstrong 87); Chiedozie Ogbene, Adam Idah

Netherlands: Mark Flekken; 3 Matthijs de Ligt, 4 Virgil van Dijk (capt), 5 Nathan Aké; 17 Daley Blind (Wout Weghorst HT), 22 Denzel Dumfries, 21 Frenkie de Jong, 19 Mats Wieffer (Tijjani Reijnders HT); 7 Xavi Simons (Steven Berghuis 90), 8 Cody Gakpo (Noa Lang 81), 18 Donyell Malen (Teun Koopmeiners 68)

Referee: Irfan Peljto (Bosnia & Herzegovina)