The Netherlands played in their own Capital, but it seemed to be an away match in Amsterdam on Wednesday. The many Dutch Turkish fans in the stands were noisy but they could not prevent their team from losing 1-0. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored again.
The Netherlands played their last match of 2010 and they end the year with the best international record around the world having played 17, winning 15, drawing 1. The only defeat came in the World Cup final versus Spain. Despite their splendid record and despite the noisy atmosphere in the Amsterdam Arena the Orange squad started uneasy. Turkey put pressure on the Dutch midfield, and both teams did not seem to be able to open up the game. In the second half Theo Janssen, who came on for Wesley Sneijder, gave the Dutch midfield a boost. Huntelaar scored in the 52nd minute after Hedwiges Maduro pushed through and provided a very precise assist.
Maduro played in the place of Mark van Bommel, who went home on Wednesday because of a recurring knee-injury. The Valencia midfielder had a tough job. Turkey coach Guus Hiddink decided to put pressure on Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart. “We did not want them to play the pass forward, let other players do that”, he explained after the match. Maduro was one of these players and he had to get adjusted to this difficult role. Sneijder could not put his mark on the match, but he was closest to scoring for the Netherlands, when he ferociously fired on target form a rebound of his own free kick. Goalkeeper Volkan Demirel saved with an superb reflex. Burak Yilmaz had the best chance for Turkey, but he saw Dutch goalie Maarten Stekelenburg stopping his shot.
For Joris Mathijsen the match ended in the 45th minute. The Hamburger SV defender injured his ankle severely when he came down after a header. FC Twente’s Peter Wisgerhof replaced him in the second half and thus made his debut in the Dutch national squad. Ten minutes from time Royston Drenthe also made his debut. The defender from Hércules CF was called up because of Dirk Kuyt’s late injury on Tuesday.
The Netherlands started very well in the second half. “We wanted to play an attacking game, but that’s difficult”, Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk said. “We pushed up in midfield to early in the first half. Defenders have to join in pushing up and that’s where we made the big mistakes. In the second half we improved a lot.” FC Twente’s Theo Janssen, more than Sneijder, managed to take control on the midfield. Robin van Persie also came in, not as a central forward but as a right winger. Huntelaar stayed on and scored the only goal of the match. The Schalke 04 striker has now scored at least once in last five matches of the Netherlands. The last Dutchman to score in five straight matches was Johan Neeskens in 1974.
Umut Bulut and Kazim Kazim had good chances to score 1-1 for Turkey, but Stekelenburg saved Bulut’s header and Kazim’s shot went wide. Hiddink still was satisfied with his team’s performance. “It was a real match and my team did well, we played a good attacking game not dropping back too much.”
Maduro played in the place of Mark van Bommel, who went home on Wednesday because of a recurring knee-injury. The Valencia midfielder had a tough job. Turkey coach Guus Hiddink decided to put pressure on Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart. “We did not want them to play the pass forward, let other players do that”, he explained after the match. Maduro was one of these players and he had to get adjusted to this difficult role. Sneijder could not put his mark on the match, but he was closest to scoring for the Netherlands, when he ferociously fired on target form a rebound of his own free kick. Goalkeeper Volkan Demirel saved with an superb reflex. Burak Yilmaz had the best chance for Turkey, but he saw Dutch goalie Maarten Stekelenburg stopping his shot.
For Joris Mathijsen the match ended in the 45th minute. The Hamburger SV defender injured his ankle severely when he came down after a header. FC Twente’s Peter Wisgerhof replaced him in the second half and thus made his debut in the Dutch national squad. Ten minutes from time Royston Drenthe also made his debut. The defender from Hércules CF was called up because of Dirk Kuyt’s late injury on Tuesday.
The Netherlands started very well in the second half. “We wanted to play an attacking game, but that’s difficult”, Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk said. “We pushed up in midfield to early in the first half. Defenders have to join in pushing up and that’s where we made the big mistakes. In the second half we improved a lot.” FC Twente’s Theo Janssen, more than Sneijder, managed to take control on the midfield. Robin van Persie also came in, not as a central forward but as a right winger. Huntelaar stayed on and scored the only goal of the match. The Schalke 04 striker has now scored at least once in last five matches of the Netherlands. The last Dutchman to score in five straight matches was Johan Neeskens in 1974.
Umut Bulut and Kazim Kazim had good chances to score 1-1 for Turkey, but Stekelenburg saved Bulut’s header and Kazim’s shot went wide. Hiddink still was satisfied with his team’s performance. “It was a real match and my team did well, we played a good attacking game not dropping back too much.”
