UEFA Nations League final: What Van Dijk said after 1-0 defeat to Portugal

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UEFA Nations League final: What Van Dijk said after 1-0 defeat to Portugal

 

Netherlands captain, Virgil van Dijk, has insisted that he was “very proud” of his team after being edged out narrowly by hosts Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final.

Goncalo Guedes scored the game’s only goal after 60 minutes, with a powerful shot from the edge of the box as van Dijk and central defensive partner Matthijs de Ligt hesitated.

Although the Dutch came close to equalising a few times, the host nation held on for victory.

“I don’t think anyone would have believed us at the start of the tournament if we said we’d reach the final.

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress,” Van Dijk told reporters after the match.

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UEFA Nations League: Netherlands coach, Koeman reveals why Portugal beat his side 1-0 in final

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UEFA Nations League: Netherlands coach, Koeman reveals why Portugal beat his side 1-0 in final

 

Netherlands head coach, Ronald Koeman, has explained why Portugal defeated his side 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday night.

Koeman said the host nation defeated Netherlands because his players “were not good enough”, adding that Portugal was very solid as a team.

We had reported that Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal to defeat Netherlands 1-0 in Sunday’s final to claim the trophy.

Goncalo Guedes scored the only goal of the game in the 60th minute after the first half ended goalless.

“We want to go on and push forward. We were not good enough, perhaps that is the case for tonight,” Koeman was quoted by Goal as telling reporters after the match.

“But that is putting it negatively knowing the whole campaign we’ve had. We knew we had to be at our best and we were not.

“We know we made big steps in one year in the campaign of the Nations League. Against Germany, France, England, Portugal – maybe four of the strongest five or six teams in Europe.

“To make the next step maybe we need more time, more offensive strength is really important. To create more chances, to have what we missed tonight.

“Portugal, as we expected, were very solid as a team. They are used to playing that way. They have had more time together than us.

“They are handsome in front, maybe we missed some of that creativity in our attacking play.”

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UEFA Nations League: Portugal coach reveals why they beat Netherlands in final

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UEFA Nations League: Portugal coach reveals why they beat Netherlands in final

 

Portugal head coach, Fernando Santos, has admitted that stopping Netherlands’ Frenkie de Jong, was a key factor in his side’s Nations League final success.

The host nation emerged victorious at the end of the inaugural edition of the tournament, winning 1-0 at the Estadio do Dragao on Sunday, thanks to Goncalo Guedes’ strike in the second half.

It enhanced Santos’ reputation as a shrew international coach, after he won the European Championships in 2016.

“De Jong plays normally on the left closer to Bruno Fernandes. [Marten] de Roon played closer to [William] Carvalho.

“We were aware of the qualities of these midfielders of the Dutch team and De Jong; a great creator with great potential.

“We knew that if we curtailed his freedom we would stand to gain. My players’ instructions were to play the ball whenever they had it and to balance our defence by keeping an eye out to curtail the freedom De Jong and [Virgil] van Dijk would have,” Santos told reporters after the game.

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Portugal Coach, Santos Explains Why Ronaldo Led Team Fall 3-0 To Netherlands

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Portugal Coach, Santos Explains Why Ronaldo Led Team Fall 3-0 To Netherlands

 

Portugal manager, Fernando Santos has explained why his side fell 3-0 to Netherlands in a friendly match on Monday.

The coach said Monday’s 3-0 loss was his responsibility.

Portugal, currently the European champions, were beaten by Netherlands, who delivered Ronald Koeman’s first win since he took over in February.

Netherlands were too good for Portugal, who had Joao Cancelo sent off in the second half.

Memphis Depay, Ryan Babel and Virgil van Dijk were the scorers in the game.

Santos told reporters, “I could have done better, but the responsibility for defeat is mine.

“It was I who chose the players, had observed the opponent, set up the strategy so that we had possession of the ball and I think in the initial 10 minutes we had the ball and circulated well.

“We conceded a goal and from there things got more complicated.

“They explored the side aisles well and had many difficulties in the first half.

“The overall behaviour was not adequate and we could not go on a counter-attack. We talked to the players at half-time and in the second half we were a different team in every respect.

“We did not allow spaces to the opponent, except near the end.

“With 10 players on the pitch, we had a bit more difficulties, but we kept trying to reach the goal and we had three or four chances. We deserved a goal or two.”

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