Is the Netherlands that good, or Romania that weak, the truth is, as usual, probably somewhere in the middle, and the Dutch match in the quarter-finals could provide the answer.
Until then, however, Ronald Koeman's team can be proud to have shown the most dominant game of all national teams in the round of 16. And there is something to hope for, if the duel in Munich is any parameter - 3:0 against Romania.
It could have been much, much more convincing if Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo and co had converted at least 50 percent of the chances they created.
The Romanians, completely contrary to what happened on the field, were in the game until the finish, they were waiting for a chance to punish the "Orange" for mistakes, but they didn't wait for it. The Dutch then scored two more goals and made sure that the result reflected what was happening on the field as much as possible.
The European champion from 1988 reached the quarter-finals, the first time at the continental championships since 2008. The next goal - the semi-finals, which would be the first since 2000. Opponent - Austria or Turkey.
- This is our answer to the criticism we received after the last game - said the best player of the game Kodi Gakpo, alluding to the defeat against Austria (3:2) that sent "Oranja" to third place in the group.
However, there were no consequences, the Romanians, ranked first in Group E, were an easy task.
- A real game, nice goals, in a word - we played good football. Although it was 1:0 for a long time, and we had a dangerous opponent, at no point did we lose the feeling that we were in control of the game - added Gakpo.
The Liverpool striker scored the first goal of the match - in his own style, coming in from the left in the 20th minute and firing into the near corner, joining Germany's Musiala, Slovakia's Šranc and Georgia's Mikautadze as top scorers at the Euros (three goals each).
Gakpo was able to stay alone at the top yesterday, one of his goals was disallowed due to offside, he had a few more good chances, but in the finish he reoriented himself to assists.
Phenomenally in the 83th, he passed on the left side and served Donijel Malen as if on a tray, who scored for 2:0. After a counterattack in the third minute of stoppage time, Malen scored the third goal for the Dutch.
Romanians? They started the match as if in a trance, suppressed the opponent in the first 10 minutes, but when they capitulated for the first time in the 20th minute, it was as if they disappeared from the field.
However, they left a good impression on the Euro, placing in the eighth finals is a great success for Edvard Jordanescu's team, which has been out of the major football trends for a long time.
- We saw a powerful Netherlands, individually and collectively, extremely well prepared. They controlled the game and my Romania couldn't do much. However, I look at this Euro as a process of growth that must continue - commented the legendary Romanian football player George Hadzi, whose son Janis spent 72 minutes on the field of "Alianc Arena".
ROMANIA - NETHERLANDS 0:3 (0:1)
Munich - Stadium Alijanc arena. Referee: Felix Zweier (Germany). Scorers: Gakpo in 20, Malen in 83 and 90+3. a minute.
Romania (4-1-4-1): Nice - Raciu, Dragušin, Burka, Mogoš (38. Rakovican) - M. Marin (72. Cikaldau) - Man, Stanćiu (88. Olaru), R. Marin, Hadži ( 72. Alibek) - Draguš (72. Mihajla)
Netherlands (4-3-3): Ferbrugen - Ake (69. Van de Ven), Van Dijk, De Frey, Dumfries - Rejnders, Simmons, Shauten (69. Ferman) - Gakpo (84. Veghorst), Depay (90+ 2. Blind), Bergwein (from 46. Malen).
Bonus video:
