Netherlands eases past Greece in Euro qualifiers
Netherlands won its second match in Group B, showing much improvement after crashing out of the Nations League finals it hosted in June.
Netherlands players celebrating a goal against Greece
EINDHOVEN: Three first-half goals secured the Netherlands a comfortable 3-0 win over Greece in a European Championship qualifier on Thursday.
Marten de Roon, Cody Gakpo and Wout Weghorst scored as the Netherlands won its second match in Group B, showing much improvement after crashing out of the Nations League finals it hosted in June.
It now has six points, ahead of Greece on goal difference, behind leaders France, which has won five out of five. The Dutch victory came after coach Ronald Koeman had challenged his team to show more of a steely edge after losing three of four games since he took charge at the start of the year.
The Dutch face a key qualifier in Dublin on Sunday against Ireland, who lost 2-0 to France on Thursday. Greece host Gibraltar in Athens on Sunday.
Elsewhere, In group E, Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Poland eased to a 2-0 victory over the Faroe Islands in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier. Fernando Santos’s men were dominant from the whistle, but had problems creating chances.
Lewandowski hit the bar with a header from the right side of the six yard box eight minutes after the break and he put Poland in front in the 73rd minute when he converted a penalty after Odmar Faero’s handball.
The hosts controlled the rest of the game, and Lewandowski made it 2-0 with a precise effort inside the far post with seven minutes to go.
