Ronald Koeman’s side recovered from a 1-0 deficit to see off a spirited Crescent-Stars with two second-half goals.

Stefan de Vrij’s equaliser and Mert Müldür’s own goal six minutes later turned potential defeat into victory for the Netherlands as they edged past Türkiye in their UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final in Berlin.

The excitement was palpable with each nation contesting their first EURO quarter-final for 16 years but Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman had demanded his players “keep the ball and take the sting out of the game” in the early stages. They came close to completely deflating the Türkiye bubble in the opening minute only for Memphis Depay to fire over a presentable chance.

The Crescent-Stars gradually grew into the contest, successfully restricting the space the possession-hungry Oranje craved and establishing the set-piece threat that had served them so well in their round of 16 victory against Austria. Their breakthrough came indirectly from such a dead-ball situation, Arda Güler whipping a half-cleared corner to the back post for Samet Akaydin to guide his header in off the bar.

Türkiye coach Vincenzo Montella had stressed the need for his young side to “control our emotions” and they appeared more composed than a visibly-perturbed Dutch outfit for the remainder of the first half. The interval gave Koeman a chance for an Oranje reset, and the introduction of Wout Weghorst up front suggested a more direct approach in the second period.

That renewed verve – and Weghost’s influence on their style – soon became apparent but it was Türkiye who nearly doubled their advantage twice, first when Arda Güler’s fierce free-kick clipped the outside of the post then when Weghorst somehow denied Kaan Ayhan a tap-in after Bart Verbruggen had parried Kenan Yıldız’s raking drive.

That intervention proved pivotal as Stefan de Vrij’s thumping header from Depay’s cross levelled the score and demonstrated the Oranje also possessed set-piece prowess. Six minutes later they had another, Denzel Dumfries’s teasing ball across the area turned over the line by Mert Müldür, under pressure from Cody Gakpo at the far post.

Türkiye’s late onslaught was expected and would have paid off but for a last-ditch block by substitute Micky van de Ven to keep out Zeki Çelik’s goalbound effort and Verbruggen’s added-time save from another replacement, Semih Kılıçsoy. Next stop for the Oranje: a semi-final with England in Dortmund on Wednesday.
UEFA