Euro qualifiers: Holland in danger of missing out as Czechs arrive

World Cup bronze medallists need to better Turkey’s result if they are to reach play-offs

AMSTERDAM: The Netherlands, who were within a penalty shootout victory of reaching the 2014 World Cup final, now stand on the brink of missing the European Championships for the first time since 1984 when they host the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

Winners of their only major tournament in 1988, when Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit inspired them to continental victory over Russia in Germany, their fall from grace has been one of football’s greatest mysteries as they now stare Euro 2016 elimination squarely in the face.

Guus Hiddink was the man entrusted to guide them through qualifying for the 24-team tournament that will feature in France for the first time in a format that seemed to appear a formality for Europe’s regular contenders.

However, two defeats in their three opening matches against the Czech Republic and Iceland made their task difficult and their record of four wins, four defeats and a draw leaves the Dutch two points behind Turkey with one game to play.

Read: Euro 2016 ‘Wales qualification means everything’

The Turks host Iceland and are in control of their own destiny, to book a playoff spot, while the Netherlands must beat the Czechs in Amsterdam to keep their slender hopes alive.

“The whole qualifying tournament has all been very difficult. We now no longer have it in our own hands. I feel terrible, really terrible,” said star striker Robin van Persie after the 3-0 September defeat in Turkey.

Danny Blind has since replaced the departed Hiddink but only a Dutch win and a Turkish defeat, at home to Iceland, can rescue a desperate situation.

The team still boasts several household names such as van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, injury-prone Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar but the biological clock has been ticking against an ageing team that may be past its sell-by-date.

Germany, Poland confirm Euro spots

Germany qualified for the Euro 2016 finals as Group D winners after substitute Max Kruse’s winner sealed a nervous 2-1 victory over Georgia on Sunday for the world champions.

Thomas Muller netted a 50th-minute penalty for Germany only for Georgia captain Jaba Kankava to make up for conceding the spot kick by hitting a superb equaliser, but Kruse then came off the bench to claim the late winner.

Read: Conte hoping to build Euro 2016 'war machine'



The result saw Germany finish top of the table by a point, while Poland join them in qualifying directly for the finals in France after their 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland in Warsaw.

But Germany’s victory in Leipzig did little to disguise the world champions’ below-par campaign over the last 12 months and head coach Joachim Low admits there is huge room for improvement.

“Today we can sing the same song from the Ireland match,” fumed Low. “We missed three or four very clear chances in the first half and a certain frustration comes when errors creep in. That is not our standard, there is still much work ahead of us.”

After away defeats to both Poland and Ireland, this has been Germany’s worst qualifying campaign for a major tournament since the 2002 World Cup when they finished second behind England.

Read: 'No major changes for Georgia match' Germany coach

Meanwhile, Muller’s Bayern teammate Robert Lewandowski equalled former Northern Ireland striker David Healy’s 13-goal record for a single European Championship qualifying campaign as Poland claimed second place in Group D.

Grzegorz Krychowiak netted a 13th-minute opener for the Poles in Warsaw before Jon Walters levelled from the penalty spot shortly after.

But Lewandowski’s 15th goal in his last six matches won it for the home side, consigning the Irish, who saw John O’Shea sent off late on, to November’s play-offs. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2015.

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