Luciano Valente is likely to start for Jong Oranje against Jong Denmark on Saturday. Coach Michael Reiziger is pleased with the midfielder, who came on as a substitute and scored in the first European Championship match against Finland (2-2) on Thursday.
“Valente has played good matches. There is a good chance he will start,” Reiziger said on Saturday to Ziggo Sport in the Futbal Tatran Arena in Presov, where the match against the Danes will be played on Sunday. The coach said nothing about any other changes.
Valente’s starting place will probably be at the expense of Youri Regeer, who had to make way for the 21-year-old from Groningen halfway through the match against Jong Finland. Jong Finland was surprisingly leading 0-2 at that time.
“That first half was not good,” Reiziger looked back. “The second half was much better. We did that well. In the end, we could have won the match. We have to make sure that we play against Jong Denmark like we did after the break against Jong Finland. We created a lot of chances.”
Jong Denmark started the European Championship on Thursday with a 2-3 victory over Jong Ukraine, putting Steffen Højer’s team at the top of Group D. Ajax defender Anton Gaeei had a starting place for the Danes. The right back is also likely to start against Jong Oranje.
‘We want to finish first’
Reiziger calls Jong Denmark a team that “wants to play football”. “It will be difficult. But the fact that they play offensively also offers opportunities. We will get more space than against the Finns.”
After the 2-2 against Jong Finland, Jong Oranje cannot afford a defeat. “We know what we have to do,” Reiziger said. “We still want to finish first in the group, so we have to win the next two matches.”
Jong Oranje against Denmark starts on Sunday at 9:00 PM in the Futbal Tatran Arena in Presov and will be led by Italian referee Simone Sozza.