UEFA Nations League - Group A1
NetherlandsNetherlands2FranceFrance0

Netherlands 2-0 France: Dutch beat world champions to relegate Germany

Last updated on .From the section European Footballcomments165

Netherlands celebrate
Georginio Wijnaldum has now scored 10 international goals

The Netherlands deservedly beat France in the Uefa Nations League to end the world champions' 15-game unbeaten run and relegate Germany.

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum struck from close range after Hugo Lloris parried a Ryan Babel shot.

Lloris made a host of top saves to stop a thrashing - but Memphis Depay's dinked penalty in injury time made sure of the win.

A Dutch draw in Germany on Monday would see them win the group.

That would take Ronald Koeman's side into next June's Nations League finals - at the expense of France, who had only needed a point in Rotterdam to seal top spot.

The winners of each group are also guaranteed a Euro 2020 play-off place if they fail to progress from qualification next year.

France can still win the group if the Germans, who will be in the Nations League second tier in 2020, beat the Dutch.

Elsewhere, Gibraltar's Euro 2020 dream is almost certainly over after a 6-2 hammering by Armenia. The minnows led through teenager Tjay de Barr but Yura Movsisyan scored four times for the visitors.

Macedonia remain top of that group - and are 90 minutes away from the play-offs - thanks to a 2-0 win in Liechstenstein.

Wales' promotion bid is over after a 2-1 defeat by Denmark - who win the group and a place in the 2020 top flight. That result relegates the Republic of Ireland.

Line-ups

Netherlands

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Cillessen
  • 2Dumfries
  • 3de Ligt
  • 4van Dijk
  • 5Blind
  • 6de Roon
  • 7de Jong
  • 9BergwijnSubstituted forPromesat 86'minutes
  • 8WijnaldumBooked at 17minsSubstituted forVilhenaat 89'minutes
  • 11BabelSubstituted forAkéat 90+1'minutes
  • 10Depay

Substitutes

  • 12Tete
  • 13Zoet
  • 14de Vrij
  • 15Aké
  • 16Strootman
  • 17van de Beek
  • 18Rosario
  • 19de Jong
  • 20Promes
  • 21Vilhena
  • 22Dilrosun
  • 23Bizot

France

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Lloris
  • 2PavardBooked at 72mins
  • 4Varane
  • 3Kimpembe
  • 12DigneBooked at 57mins
  • 13KantéBooked at 50mins
  • 15NzonziSubstituted forNDombeleat 81'minutes
  • 14MatuidiSubstituted forSissokoat 65'minutes
  • 7Griezmann
  • 9GiroudSubstituted forDembéléat 65'minutesBooked at 89mins
  • 10Mbappé

Substitutes

  • 5Sakho
  • 6Sissoko
  • 8Pléa
  • 11Dembélé
  • 16Mandanda
  • 17Rami
  • 18Fekir
  • 19Sidibe
  • 20Thauvin
  • 21NDombele
  • 22Mendy
  • 23Areola
Referee:
Anthony Taylor
Attendance:
44,366

Match Stats

Home TeamNetherlandsAway TeamFrance
Possession
Home59%
Away41%
Shots
Home18
Away7
Shots on Target
Home11
Away2
Corners
Home8
Away2
Fouls
Home9
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Netherlands 2, France 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Netherlands 2, France 0.

  3. Goal!

    Goal! Netherlands 2, France 0. Memphis Depay (Netherlands) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.

  4. Post update

    Penalty Netherlands. Frenkie de Jong draws a foul in the penalty area.

  5. Post update

    Penalty conceded by Moussa Sissoko (France) after a foul in the penalty area.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Netherlands. Conceded by Moussa Sissoko.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Netherlands. Conceded by Hugo Lloris.

  8. Post update

    Attempt saved. Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Memphis Depay.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands).

  10. Post update

    Tanguy NDombele (France) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands. Nathan Aké replaces Ryan Babel.

  12. Post update

    Daley Blind (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by N'Golo Kanté (France).

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands. Tonny Vilhena replaces Georginio Wijnaldum.

  15. Booking

    Ousmane Dembélé (France) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  16. Post update

    Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Ousmane Dembélé (France).

  18. Post update

    Foul by Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands).

  19. Post update

    Lucas Digne (France) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands. Quincy Promes replaces Steven Bergwijn.

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165 comments

  • Comment posted by shadow warrior, at 22:02 16 Nov 2018

    Holland are slowly announcing that they are back, and looking pretty decent.

  • Comment posted by MERCEDES, at 22:25 16 Nov 2018

    Being Dutch I have to say that the best part of this game was relegating Germany! Holland showed no respect whatsoever for the world champions and we could've won by an even bigger margin. We only need a point in Germany to win the group, but it will be tricky. One of our players (Ake) is a Bournemouth player who is the spitting image of Gullit in his glory days! Hope England will go through too!

  • Comment posted by paul hirst, at 22:12 16 Nov 2018

    The dutch have their mojo back. Soon be seeing that orange wall of shirted fans in tournament finals again.

  • Comment posted by AndyC, at 23:12 16 Nov 2018

    Re 37
    “Germany have four Workd(?) and 3 Euro Chanpionship(?) thats more than double France, England and Holland combined”

    England - 1 World Cup
    France- 2 world cups, 2 European championships
    Netherlands- 1 European championship

    How is 7 trophies ‘more than double’ 6 trophies?

    Good to see you’re not really up to scratch on either maths, or English.

  • Comment posted by DaveP1982, at 22:31 16 Nov 2018

    As a few have already said it's good to see the Dutch on their way back.. any major tournament is always better with them and the Italians in it

  • Comment posted by Oncha, at 22:58 16 Nov 2018

    Beating France with 2 goals and a clean sheet is a big deal. The Dutch are gradually recovering their mojo. Good job.

  • Comment posted by Relax and Chill, at 22:02 16 Nov 2018

    Good win for Holland over France and German football not at their best at present but they will be back.

  • Comment posted by jackhunter, at 22:49 16 Nov 2018

    The English people laughing about Germany getting relegated make me laugh, remember, don't count your chickens, you could be joining them in league 2 on Sunday.

  • Comment posted by Robs, at 22:42 16 Nov 2018

    The Dutch must be loving this.

    A win, through to the semi and most pleasurable they have relegated their enemy

  • Comment posted by james vandenblink, at 22:29 16 Nov 2018

    A complete reversal of previous years. Then the Dutch nearly always had most the play but were beaten by swift counters.
    Now the Dutch have speed on their side. No more target man who can be isolated.
    Strange to see Babel back into the mix. They now play as a unit. One for all and all for one.
    Were the French overconfident?

  • Comment posted by AJC_123, at 22:24 16 Nov 2018

    True sorry - absolutely hilarious. At work today I asked a guy who would win this match. He said France will win as they are world champions and Netherlands didn’t even qualify for the World Cup.

    He will feel a bit silly now.

  • Comment posted by BlueIsTheColour, at 09:09 17 Nov 2018

    unless Liverpool now play in orange this was a victory for Holland, not Liverpool. Calm down calm down.

  • Comment posted by U17068751, at 23:45 16 Nov 2018

    Love them Dutch jerseys. Nice people. Top players.

  • Comment posted by robert stiles, at 11:48 17 Nov 2018

    What is perhaps often overlooked is the fact the Dutch met the host nation in both the 74 & 78 finals. It could be argued that they would have won both had they been on a neutral venue. That said they had huge support when they came streaming across the border in that 74 final in Munich.

  • Comment posted by Dragonborn, at 11:40 17 Nov 2018

    I think the Netherlands are the biggest underachievers in International Football. Unbelievable talent coming out of that country but the results don't reflect that. Nice to see them get a good win.

  • Comment posted by Dubbus, at 11:51 17 Nov 2018

    The Flying Dutchmen

    One of the best footballing nations in my opinion and glad they are getting back to where the should be

  • Comment posted by Nick, at 22:33 16 Nov 2018

    Hopefully a nail in Loew's coffin. Should have gone right after the WC.

  • Comment posted by mrmjvc, at 22:02 16 Nov 2018

    Second goal was crucial there to give the Dutch the safety of only needing a draw in Germany. Cant wait to see Germany paired up with Wales. Switzerland v Belgium & Italy v Portugal will effectively decide two of the four top spots tomorrow

  • Comment posted by Christoph , at 11:52 17 Nov 2018

    It is amazing that such a relatively small nation (17m people) has consistently managed to bring out good football teams for the past 50 years. Congratulations and that word doesn't go over my lips easily because I was born in Germany.

  • Comment posted by Gerry, at 22:15 16 Nov 2018

    No major surprise Dutch played very well. They had won their previous 14 games in Rotterdam. Players seem to lift performance another level when playing there. Dutch FA insisted playing in Amsterdam previous years, despite (ex) players insisting performance and results always better in Rotterdam. But FAs don't care what players prefer...

    Should be a feisty game in Gelsenkirchen on Monday.

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1France42114407
2Netherlands32016246
3Germany301215-41

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Belgium33007169
2Switzerland32019366
3Iceland4004113-120

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Portugal22004226
2Italy31112204
3Poland301235-21

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Spain420212756
2England31114404
3Croatia311138-54

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Ukraine43015509
2Czech Rep310234-13
3Slovakia31025413

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Russia32104137
2Turkey310246-23
3Sweden201123-11

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Bos-Herze431051410
2Austria31111104
3Northern Ireland300315-40

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Denmark32104137
2Wales42026516
3R. of Ireland301215-41

I

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Israel32014226
2Scotland21013213
3Albania310214-33

J

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Finland540151412
2Greece53024409
3Hungary52127617
4Estonia501438-51

K

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Norway531152310
2Bulgaria531164210
3Cyprus512257-25
4Slovenia502347-32

L

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Serbia42205238
2Montenegro42116337
3Romania41304316
4Lithuania400429-70

M

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Georgia5410101913
2Kazakhstan51317526
3Latvia503226-43
4Andorra503229-73

N

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Belarus532080811
2Luxembourg530210379
3Moldova522134-18
4San Marino5005014-140

O

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Kosovo42206248
2Azerbaijan41305236
3Faroe Islands411247-34
4Malta402248-42

P

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1North Macedonia5401105512
2Armenia530212669
3Gibraltar5203511-66
4Liechtenstein5104510-53
View full UEFA Nations League tables

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