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The League of Nations. Group A1
Amsterdam. Johan Cruyff Stadium
Netherlands – Bosnia and Herzegovina 3: 1
Goals: Veinaldum 6, 13, Depay 56 – Prevlyak 63
Netherlands: Krul, Dumfries (Hatebourg 64), De Fry, Blind, Weindal (Van Aanholt 79), F. De Jong, Weinaldum (van de Beek 65), Klaassen, Berghuis (Stengs 89), L. De Jong, Depay 79)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sehic, Todorovic, Hadzikadunic, Sanicanin, Kolasinac, Pjanic (Zilikic 89), Cimirot, Gojak (Danilovic 62), Krunic (Rakhmanovich 79), Visca (Tatar 79), Hodzic (Prevlak 61)
Warnings: Klaassen 68 – Todorovic 39, Sanicanin 88
Both teams haven’t won their last five games and haven’t scored more than one goal in six. Frank De Boer became the first coach of a national team without a win in its first four. Dusan Baevich also winless. Coaches and teams pressured by criticism. De Boer’s players also lost three of their four best goalkeepers and two of their best central defenders: Van Dyck and De Licht. However, after 0: 0 in Bosnia, they just added, they played very well against Italy and Spain. But the Bosnians flew to Poland and Iran. Also, they lost Edin Dzeko. Today, the class difference finally showed.
The guests didn’t just sit on the defensive. They tried to attack both in the opening and beyond. This killed them. Pyanich missed twice a bit from the penalty area. The goalkeeper took Krunich’s shot from there. The only response was quick and fatal attacks using the flanks. Weindahl accidentally hung on the shelf, Depay found Doomfries and Berghuis on the right in beautiful combinations, and they found Wejnaldum in front of an empty goal. Jorginho could have scored his 21st goal for the national team, but he shot into the center. And Luc De Jong’s goal as a result of another beautiful combination was mistakenly canceled for “offside”.
The “orange” started the second half in the same way. Depay led Berghuis to the goalkeeper, then he hit himself. Shekhic saved twice, then ran almost to the center circle, interrupting Memphis’s advance. Berghuis was wrong. But the big Depay struck, closing the Doomfries center behind Berghuis’ heel. The Dutch just enjoyed football. It is true that the Bosnians suddenly achieved the quick “Dutch” combination, with a Vishchi cross to the right under a light blow from Prevljak. And in minute 77, similar. It was only then that the forward missed from ten meters. In general, both teams were awake (but not furious) then.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have lost any chance of remaining in division A. And the Netherlands are finally winning and before the match Italy – Poland lead the group. Has De Boer’s cadence finally begun?
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Reggio Emilia. “MAPEI Stadium”
Italy – Poland 2: 0
Goals: Georgino 27 (pen), Berardi 83
Italy: D. Donnarumma, Florenzi (Di Lorenzo 89), Acerbi, Bastoni, Emerson, Giorgino, Locatelli, Barella, Bernardeschi (Berardi 64), Belotti (Okaka 79), Insigne (El Shaarawy 89)
Poland: Szczesny, Bereshinski, Glik, Bednarek, Retza, Krychowiak, Szymanski (Zelinski 46), Linetti (Milik 74), Jozwiak (Grosicki 46), Moder (Goralski 46), Lewandowski
Warnings: Belotti 29 – Krychowiak 26, Goralski 62
Removing: Goralski 77 (second yellow)
Judging by the latest trends, the Dutch were the favorites in Amsterdam and the Poles in Reggio Emilia. They crushed Bosnia, which the Italians did not defeat. In a head-to-head match at home (0: 0), we had to defend and fight, but we managed to draw and even without the super efforts of our goalkeeper. Which helped to emerge victorious. Overall, the “Squadra Azzurra” at home in four games in the history of the League of Nations won nothing. And in the reported match, he also lost two dozen players. Among them are Bonucci, Chiellini, Immobile, Verratti, Chiesu. And yet it is clear that she is of a higher class than “Kadra”.
Before the game, the head coach of the Polish team Jerzy Bzhencek confidently declared that his team did not need miracles, that they were at a good level and on the right track. Previous matches, in principle, confirmed it. At least in terms of ability to deliver. However, today there was no result, there was no game. The Poles against a wounded rival seemed completely apathetic, even indifferent. Including Lewandowski. They were also lucky not to see the red card for Robert’s elbow. Eliminating Goralski even earlier. And a penalty for Bednarek’s hand. And I was lucky to see a not ruthless Italy.
The game was not fast. The number of shots on goal before the break was solid, not brilliant: eight. But at Donnarumma’s door there wasn’t one. The Italians simply locked the opponent in their half of the field, pressed, intercepted, combined. Belotti had to complete both combinations with non-heavenly shots. Bernardeschi’s insidious blow from 17 meters was rejected by the goalkeeper. By playing a free kick, Krykhovyak failed Belotti. At the beginning of the second half, the Poles remembered the attack, but Barella could have scored, with a cross from Bernardeschi. Ricochet was saved from Insigne’s twisted blow. And then the first half came back.
In the Nations League, Italy has never scored more than one goal in eight previous games. He wasn’t in a hurry even now. In the middle of the half, she was only remembered by Berardi’s slightly inaccurate shot, even after Goralski was sent off, she was in no rush. However, this time I found a goal. In a quick attack, Insigne found Berardi on the right side of the penalty area, stopped and put him in the near corner of the counter. Finally, he ensures the exit of his team to the first place in the group and to the 21st consecutive game without defeat. Impressive without 20 players and head coach. And the Poles did not show that they were the first deservedly.
