At 3:45 AM China Time on November 17, the UEFA Nations League Group C of League A will see the Netherlands host Hungary. Both teams currently have 5 points, with the Netherlands leading Hungary by 5 goal difference, ranking second and third in Group C, respectively, trailing the top-ranked Germany by 5 points.
Group C of League A has a clear landscape, as Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina have already secured and been eliminated from the group, respectively. The remaining spot for advancement will be contested between the Netherlands and Hungary. The two teams drew 1-1 in their first round match in October last year, so the winner of this match at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam will secure the qualifying spot, making it the “final” of Group C.
The Netherlands’ performance in this UEFA Nations League group stage has been a case of high start followed by a decline. After a 5-2 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first round, Ronald Koeman’s team managed only 2 draws and 1 loss in the following three rounds, watching Germany pull away.
However, the Netherlands still hold their fate in their own hands. A home win against Hungary would render the final match against Bosnia and Herzegovina meaningless. It is worth noting that the Netherlands have failed to score in only one of their home matches in the UEFA Nations League, which was a 0-1 loss to Italy at home in September 2020.
Hungary’s trajectory has been the opposite of the Netherlands. Marco Rossi’s team suffered a 0-5 defeat to Germany in the first round but quickly adjusted and remained unbeaten in the next three rounds. Particularly, their 2-0 away win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last round gave Hungary the opportunity to contest this “final” with the Netherlands.
For Hungary, who started in League C in the inaugural UEFA Nations League, they are eager to advance further in League A. Now, they are just one win away from making history and advancing to the quarterfinals. Hungary is no stranger to pulling off upsets in away matches in the UEFA Nations League, having defeated England 4-0 and Germany 1-0 away in 2022, demonstrating impressive performances.
In terms of personnel, the Netherlands’ defense is severely affected by injuries, with Van Dijk, Aké, Wijndal, and Maatsen all missing from the squad due to injuries. However, Arsenal’s versatile defender Tyrell Malacia has returned to the national team. In midfield, despite Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong being substituted early in the match against Real Sociedad for precautionary reasons, he should be fit to play. Koeman will likely field De Jong and Liverpool star Harvey Elliott in the starting lineup, while Xavier Simons of RB Leipzig remains sidelined due to injury. On the Hungarian side, Rossi will be without Fiola, who is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, and Dardai will replace him in the starting lineup. Sárbó will make his 50th appearance for the national team.
Last October, Hungary held the Netherlands to a 0-0 draw at home, ending a nine-match losing streak against the Dutch. Facing an opponent they haven’t beaten since 1984, Hungary may struggle to achieve much in this away match.
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