Hamburg (Reuters)
Modern football sometimes struggles with the giant spearhead, but Dutch substitute Wout Wiekhorst saved his team, showing the value of the No. 9 in a 2-1 win over Poland in the Euro 2024 Championship.
The Dutch dominated the match against Poland, which relied on defense with any opportunity to launch counterattacks.
But matches are decided by goals, and if the Netherlands wants to go far in the tournament, it must take advantage of its opportunities, after wasting many of them in Hamburg.
The Dutch started the match with an attacking trio of Cody Jacobo, Memphis Depay and Xavi Simons who ran a lot and created a series of chances.
The team had 64 percent possession of the ball and shot 20 shots on goal, but with the exception of Jacobo’s shot, which was deflected in the 29th minute, to equalize the score, the Netherlands failed to benefit from other attempts.
With the Netherlands’ hopes of opening their Group D campaign with a win fading, coach Ronald Koeman called Vikhorst off the bench in the 81st minute, one of several changes he made, as he looked to turn the tide in their favour.
Two minutes later, the Netherlands took the lead, when Vikhorst took advantage of Nathan Ake’s pass and slotted the ball into the net.
Vikhorst, who came on as a substitute for the Netherlands, when they were 2-0 down against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, scored two goals, scoring two goals in his last three attempts at major tournaments.
In confirmation of his superior qualifications, this was the third match in a row in which he participated as a substitute to score for the Netherlands.
“The real number 9 knows exactly where he needs to be to score these kind of goals,” said former Dutch striker and TV analyst Pierre van Hooydonk.
Those who have followed Vikhorst’s career at club level may feel they are watching a different player to the version the Dutch currently enjoy.
He did not score any goals in 17 league matches during a lackluster loan period with Manchester United last season, while this season he scored seven goals in 28 matches with Hoffenheim in the German League.
He scored the same number with the Netherlands this season in 11 matches.
Although the victory was deserved, Poland can take some solace from its strong display, as many expected a heavier defeat.
There was some consternation among Polish fans after they barely qualified for the tournament following a poor qualifying campaign, even if their recent form shows more promise.
In the absence of all-time top scorer Robert Lewandowski, who scored 82 goals in 150 international matches, due to injury, the task was always difficult.
There are occasions when losing your best player can be a blessing in disguise, as a team that has become overly dependent on the brilliance of one particular player is forced to rethink.
Adam Buksa rose to the occasion, after replacing Lewandowski, and the 1.93 meter tall striker not only opened the scoring for the Poles, but also caused a major headache for the Dutch defence.
Lewandowski may be ready for Poland’s second group match against Austria on Friday, but Buksa hopes he has already presented his credentials to continue.
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