The Netherlands secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Canada in a friendly match, with manager Louis van Gaal expressing his satisfaction with the team’s performance and indicating that the core lineup for the European Championship is virtually settled.
The Dutch started slowly on Thursday evening, but after Memphis Depay broke the deadlock in the second half, followed by goals from Denzel Dumfries, Wout Weghorst, and Virgil van Dijk, they sealed a 4-0 triumph. Van Gaal praised the team’s efforts, emphasizing the positive outcome: “Of course, we should have scored earlier, but in the second half, the players didn’t lose their focus and regained their rhythm. Canada’s performance woke us up.”
The standout player of the night was Leverkusen’s 23-year-old wing-back Denzel Dumfries, who contributed one goal and one assist. Van Gaal applauded Dumfries and Depay’s performances: “If we could get the ball into the opposition’s final third quicker, we might have created even more danger, but I can’t ask for more from Jeremy (Dumfries), considering he was up against Alphonso Davies. Sometimes he plays on the left in training, but I believe the right wing is his best position. As for Memphis? I had concerns about his fitness before the game, but he played for over an hour and seems to be in good shape. I hope he can play a full match against Iceland in the next friendly.”
In responding to journalists’ queries, Van Gaal expressed contentment with the squad’s condition and the progress in preparation: “We achieved our objective and delivered an entertaining match. There’s one more friendly left, and I’ll make the final decisions. Most of the starters are clear in my mind, with just a few positions requiring further consideration.”