HOLLAND – The Dutch national football team advanced to the Nations League final after a victory over England in Portugal on Thursday. Oranje beat the English team 3-1 at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães, thanks to two goals scored in extra time, NU.nl reports.
England’s one and only goal was a penalty scored by Marcus Rashford, after a foul by Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt. He lost the ball in his own sixteen and then committed a foul on Rashford. De Ligt made up for that mistake by scoring Oranje’s first goal in the second half.
Despite this, De Ligt is upset by the mistake he made. “I am very strict with myself. I know this shouldn’t happen anymore”, he said to NOS after the match. “I got the ball from De Roon and wanted to play back on Cillessen”, he said. “But the ball slid off my foot. After that I was late with the tackle. Very stupid and I know it.”
In the second half, De Ligt scored bringing the score to 1-1. “I had something to make up for, that’s why I went for it”, he said. “People will still remember that mistake. But I think I played a very good game, except for that one moment.”
The other two Oranje goals were scored in extra time, thanks to Quincy Promes. “It feels good, I’m glad we made it to the final”, he said, according to NU.nl.”It was special to me that I played an important role. I think I showed it today. We can be proud.”
The first goal in extra time, which brought the score up to 2-1, Promes scored with the help of English player Kyle Walker, who worked the ball into his own goal. A few minutes later, Promes scored again by kicking the ball into the empty goal, exposing a new error in the English defense.
On Wednesday, Portugal beat Switzerland 3-1 thanks to a hat trick by Cristiano Ronaldo. This means that Oranje will face off against Portugal in the Nations League final in Porto on Sunday.
