The Netherlands secured their number one spot in Group E, but the players, the coach and the home crowd could not be satisfied with the 1-0 victory over Moldova in Rotterdam on Friday.
The Dutch crowd sat down to watch another display of superior skills from their goal scoring orange machine, but the team were not able to match the performance they put up against San Marino in September, let alone the 11-0 score line. “Compared to the San Marino match this was a poor display”, captain Mark van Bommel said.
“In the first half we did not play that bad, but after the break we could not keep up the pace.”
Coach Bert van Marwijk was pleased to see that his players were far from happy with their own performance against Moldova. “It’s good to see that they’re a bit frustrated about the fact that we only scored once. This was not one of our better games, but at least we won.”
The Netherlands started well and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored in the third minute already, but the goal was disallowed because of offside. The Dutch completely dominated the pitch with a possession rate of around 80 percent against 20. They also got some good scoring opportunities, but the home crowd had to wait until the 40th minute for a goal.
Huntelaar shot home after a powerful run and a precise cross from Dirk Kuyt. Huntelaar lifted his career total to 29 goals for the Netherlands and is now listed seventh on the Dutch all-time top scorer list. The Schalke 04 striker equaled Johan Cruyff’s record for all-time Dutch top scorer in European Qualifying matches scoring his 12th ECh Qualifying goal, 11 of which came in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
“We wanted to finish the game with another goal early in the second half, but we were a bit unlucky in the box”, Kuyt said. As time went by the Dutch game became more sloppy, although reserve goalkeeper Michel Vorm, who replaced the injure Maarten Stekelenburg, never had to worry.
Moldova had one real shot on target in the second half and the visitors came closest to scoring when they headed a free kick over the crossbar late into the second half.
Holland have now won their last 10 matches played on home soil, equaling their record of 10 straight home wins set between 1970 and 1973 and the Dutch join Poland, Ukraine and Spain as group leading teams at Euro 2012. They will finish their qualifying campaign on Tuesday with an away match at Sweden, who hope to secure the second spot in Group E.
“In the first half we did not play that bad, but after the break we could not keep up the pace.”
Coach Bert van Marwijk was pleased to see that his players were far from happy with their own performance against Moldova. “It’s good to see that they’re a bit frustrated about the fact that we only scored once. This was not one of our better games, but at least we won.”
The Netherlands started well and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored in the third minute already, but the goal was disallowed because of offside. The Dutch completely dominated the pitch with a possession rate of around 80 percent against 20. They also got some good scoring opportunities, but the home crowd had to wait until the 40th minute for a goal.
Huntelaar shot home after a powerful run and a precise cross from Dirk Kuyt. Huntelaar lifted his career total to 29 goals for the Netherlands and is now listed seventh on the Dutch all-time top scorer list. The Schalke 04 striker equaled Johan Cruyff’s record for all-time Dutch top scorer in European Qualifying matches scoring his 12th ECh Qualifying goal, 11 of which came in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
“We wanted to finish the game with another goal early in the second half, but we were a bit unlucky in the box”, Kuyt said. As time went by the Dutch game became more sloppy, although reserve goalkeeper Michel Vorm, who replaced the injure Maarten Stekelenburg, never had to worry.
Moldova had one real shot on target in the second half and the visitors came closest to scoring when they headed a free kick over the crossbar late into the second half.
Holland have now won their last 10 matches played on home soil, equaling their record of 10 straight home wins set between 1970 and 1973 and the Dutch join Poland, Ukraine and Spain as group leading teams at Euro 2012. They will finish their qualifying campaign on Tuesday with an away match at Sweden, who hope to secure the second spot in Group E.
