Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
Euro 2024
Quarter-finals
Netherlands v Turkey
Olympiastadion
Berlin, Germany
Saturday, 6 July 2024
Kick-off is at 20h00
Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has warned that performance levels cannot drop if they want to get past Turkey in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals at the Olympiastadion on Saturday, July 6.
The Oranje put on a dominant display as they dispatched Romania 3-0 in the round of 16 on July 2, with Cody Gakpo opening the scoring in the 20th minute before a second-half brace from Donyell Malen (83', 90+3') sealed the win.
It was in stark contrast to their showing against Austria in the final round of the group stages eight days earlier, having never been ahead in a 3-2 defeat.
Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
Koeman's side had gone unbeaten in their opening two matches - a 2-1 win over Poland followed by a 0-0 draw with France - and the Euro '88 winner has called on his players to maintain the standards they set against the Tricolours.
"The final result is always the most important thing," he said. "But this is the level. If we go down [from this], we don't reach the final.
"Even today the start was difficult but finally we found our positions and we scored a first great goal by Gakpo. The one critical point was that it took too long to score the second.
"Something it's difficult to explain is why one time you play badly and one time you are sharp. Maybe it's what happens from the beginning that makes the difference. I think we can still improve a lot, if you want to be critical after a nice afternoon."
Turkey sent out a warning to the other remaining teams in the tournament after they pulled off a shock 2-1 win over Austria in the last 16 on July 2.
The Burschen were viewed as dark horses after pipping France and the Dutch to top spot in Group D, but they failed to recover from Merih Demiral's 57-second opener - the fastest goal in European Championship history.
Crescent Stars head coach Vincenzo Montella praised his players for a passionate performance as they exacted revenge for the 6-1 drubbing they received at the hands of the same opposition in March.
"I'm very proud of the spirit we showed on the pitch. It's outstanding for a coach when you're able to see that," Montella said. "Besides our formation, our gameplan and our tactics I saw Turkish heart today, and that's what I love about this country."
"A horrible stain on my career," he said of that night in Vienna. "That's what I was waiting for, to try and get this monkey off my back. We as coaches are just like footballers, we're competitors.
"I had this competitive instinct because we wanted to change that result, it was a friendly but there's no such thing as a friendly."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Meetings)
Matches - 5
Netherlands wins - 2
Turkey wins - 2
Draws - 1
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