Ronald Koeman is moderately satisfied with the Dutch national team’s victory on Saturday visiting Finland (0-2) in the World Cup qualifying series. The national coach regrets that his team could not maintain the high level of the first half hour.
In the first thirty minutes, Oranje had no trouble with Finland and quickly took a 0-2 lead with goals from Memphis and Cody Gakpo. In the hour that followed, the Dutch national team performed less well. Although the team did not get into trouble, the attacking game was slow and the tempo was too low.
“I am satisfied with the result. There is always some tension in such a first match,” Koeman reacted afterwards at the NOS. “I thought we started very well. We scored quickly. That is nice, especially in matches against a team with many people behind the ball. But after about thirty minutes we became more careless in possession. That continued in the second half.”
Koeman thought that Oranje made it difficult for themselves. “I thought we no longer had the real pressure on them and we started running less. As a result, we got fewer opportunities. Moreover, the last pass was often not good.”
Koeman would have liked to have seen his team continue to push after the 0-2 against the poor quality Finns, in search of more goals. “Maybe it is logical that it gets less when you are 2-0 ahead, but you should always try to get the most out of it. There could have been more in it.”
‘Want to entertain in Groningen’
Koeman chose to start with Jeremie Frimpong and Denzel Dumfries on the right flank in Helsinki. According to the national coach, the pair filled it in well. “In the small space they should not play in each other’s extension and we should bring Jeremie with his qualities in the one-on-one as quickly as possible. That went well.”
The national coach was also satisfied with the functioning of the dream midfield consisting of Tijjani Reijnders, Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch. “That midfield actually has everything.”
Koeman hopes that the Dutch national team will be able to entertain for ninety minutes against weak Malta on Tuesday. He does not want to speak of a goal-scoring match against the number 169 in the FIFA ranking. “That might be a bit of an exaggeration. But it is definitely a match in which we want to play well for ninety minutes and maintain that.”
A factor in this is that the match will be played in the Euroborg in Groningen. “I grew up in Groningen and there is a Koeman stand in the Euroborg. Let’s make sure that the people there can enjoy us with lots of goals. We don’t come there that often.”
Due to the victory over Finland, Oranje has three points in Group G of the World Cup qualifying series. The group is led by Poland, which has six points but has also played one more match.