Romania vs Netherlands LIVE: Under-pressure Dutch face tough test in last-16

The Netherlands will bid to take full advantage of their second chance at Euro 2024 when they face Romania in the last-16 this evening.

The Dutch were in pole position to top Group D ahead of their final group-stage game but a 3-2 defeat to Austria saw them slip to third.

Ronald Koeman‘s side were ruthlessly punished in the five-goal thriller and looked primed to face England in the last-16 as a result.

However, Georgia‘s surprise 2-0 win over Portugal meant Oranje would instead face the Group E winners in their first knockout game.

That was tipped to be world No.3 Belgium, but their failure to beat Ukraine saw them pipped by surprise package Romania.

Now, the Netherlands, despite scraping through in third, find themselves on England’s favourable side of the draw with either Turkey or a reunion with Austria in the quarter-finals on offer.

Romania vs Netherlands: talkSPORT coverage

This Euro 2024 last-16 clash will take place on Tuesday, July 2. 

Kick-off at the Allianz Arena in Munich is scheduled for 5pm.

talkSPORT will have live coverage of the match from Germany, presented by Natalie Sawyer.

Commentary comes from Nigel Adderley and former Chelsea defender Scott Minto.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Romania vs Netherlands will also be broadcast live and free-to-air on BBC One.

• This will be only the second ever major tournament (World Cup/EUROs) meeting between Romania and Netherlands, with the Oranje winning 2-0 in the group stage of EURO 2008.
• Romania have won just one of their 14 matches against Netherlands in all competitions (D3 L10), losing their last four in a row since a 1-0 win in UEFA European Championship qualifying in October 2007. The Tricolorii have only scored three goals in those 14 encounters, while conceding 29.
• Romania have reached the knockout stage of a major tournament (World Cup/EUROs) for the first time since EURO 2000, when they were knocked out by Italy at the quarter-final stage. The Tricolorii have only progressed from one knockout tie in major competitions, beating Argentina 3-2 in the 1994 World Cup last 16.

Romania vs Netherlands: Line-ups confirmed

Romania: Nita, Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Mogos, Marius Marin, Man, Razvan Marin, Stanciu, Hagi, Dragus

Subs: Rus, Nedelcearu, Alibec, Cicaldau, Puscas, Moldovan, Mihaila, Olaru, Tarnovanu, Sorescu, Racovitan, Birligea, Sut

Netherlands: Verbruggen, Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake, Schouten, Reijnders, Bergwijn, Simons, Gakpo, Depay

Subs: Geertruida, De Ligt, Wijnaldum, Weghorst, Frimpong, Bijlow, Van de Ven, Veerman, Blind, Brobbey, Maatsen, Zirkzee, Flekken, Gravenberch, Malen

Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany)

• Netherlands have lost each of their last three knockout stage matches in the UEFA European Championship, defeats to Portugal (1-2 in 2004 semi-final), Russia (1-3 in 2008 quarter-final) and Czechia (0-2 in 2020 last 16). They could become only the second side to lose four consecutive knockout matches in the tournament’s history, after Yugoslavia from 1968 to 2000.
• This will be Romania’s 20th game at the UEFA European Championship, making them the 16th side to reach that total at the finals. They have won just two of their 19 games to date (D6 L12); previously, the fewest wins by a nation in their first 20 matches in the competition was four by Switzerland.
• Netherlands were ahead for just 12 minutes and 27 seconds of matches in the group stage of this UEFA European Championship, the fewest of any side to qualify for the knockout stage, with only eliminated sides Czechia (7:20), Hungary (2:01) and Serbia (0:00) ahead for less among all sides in the group phase.

Romania vs Netherlands: What has been said?

Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk: “We have talked a lot [after defeat vs Austria].

“I am not going to share what words have been said. All I can say is that it’s about time we start showing it on the pitch.”

“I know I can do better. I didn’t play a good game against Austria. I personally need to improve.

“I have high responsibility here but also at Liverpool, it affects me. In England they say: lead by example. I can do better, on Tuesday I can prove myself again.”

On being on the favourable side of the draw, Van Dijk added: “I think we are the last ones to speak after our last performance.”

• In the group stage, only Georgia (71) faced more shots among sides to qualify for the EURO 2024 knockout rounds than Romania (46). However, the average xG per shot faced by Romania was just 0.07, above only England (0.04) and Belgium (0.06) in the group stage, meaning the average quality of the shots they faced was the third-lowest of any side.
• In the EURO 2024 group stage, only Rasmus Højlund (129) applied more pressures in the final third than Netherlands’ Memphis Depay (108). Depay recorded at least 66 pressures in the final third more than any other Dutch player (Cody Gakpo closest with 42).
• Razvan Marin has scored two of Romania’s four goals at EURO 2024; the only players to score more in a single edition of a major tournament for the country are Florin Raducioiu (4 at the 1994 World Cup) and Gheorghe Hagi (3 at the 1994 World Cup).

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