CHORZOW, POLAND: The Netherlands came from a goal down to beat Poland 2-1 in the Nations League on Wednesday, but it was not enough to earn last year’s runner-up a place in the finals.
The result in Poland was ultimately irrelevant as Italy beat Bosnia 2-0 in Sarajevo to win Group 1 by a single point ahead of the Dutch and advance to the Final Four.
Kamil Jozwiak gave Poland the lead when he outpaced Davy Klaassen in a sprint from the halfway line, cut inside Stefan de Vrij and rolled the ball into the goal off the inside of the post in just the sixth minute.
Memphis Depay equalised from the penalty spot in the 77th and captain Georginio Wijnaldum deflected a corner into the net in the 84th.
Netherlands’ Steven Berghuis (left) Memphis Depay, laughing, and Luuk de Jong (right) celebrate with Georginio Wijnaldum who scored his side’s second goal during the Nations League soccer match between Poland and The Netherlands at Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, Poland, on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. Photo: AP
The Netherlands, which lost the final last year in the first edition of the Nations League, made four changes from the team that beat Bosnia 3-1 on Sunday. Star striker Robert Lewandoski was fit enough to start for Poland, although he was substituted at halftime.
Apart from a shot by Przemyslaw Placheta immediately after the break, the second half was one-way traffic as the Netherlands pressed forward in search of a goal.
It finally came in the 77th minute when Depay converted a penalty after Jan Bednarek had pushed Wijnaldum. The Dutch captain, who scored twice against Bosnia on Sunday, secured the win seven minutes later when he turned in a corner.
“I think this was one of our best matches, apart from the first few minutes when we were not sharp,” Wijnaldum told Dutch broadcaster NOS.
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