The Netherlands navigated a potentially tricky evening in the heat of Kansas City, ultimately putting paid to a stubborn Tunisian side with a 3. 1 vic...
The Netherlands navigated a potentially tricky evening in the heat of Kansas City, ultimately putting paid to a stubborn Tunisian side with a 3. 1 victory that, on the balance of play, felt about right. This was not the swaggering total football of yesteryear from Ronald Koeman's men. Rather, it was a lesson in tactical patience and clinical finishing against a side that knows exactly how to make life miserable for more fancied opposition.Tunisia, set up in a deep, disciplined low block for much of the first half, did precisely what was asked of them. They compressed the space, invited the Dutch to play in front of them, and looked to spring on the counter through the pace of their wide men. For a period, it worked a treat. The Oranje had plenty of the ball but struggled to find the killer pass through a congested central corridor. There was a nagging feeling in the Arrowhead stands, and I suspect in the Dutch dugout, that this could be one of those frustrating nights where possession counts for little.But the Netherlands have this habit of finding a moment of individual quality just when the collective endeavour starts to stutter. The breakthrough came from a sharp piece of transitional play. A quick turnover in midfield, a perfectly weighted ball in behind the Tunisian full back, and a sweeping first time finish that left the goalkeeper with no chance. It was the kind of goal that punishes the very system Tunisia had employed; you can park the bus, but you cannot afford a momentary lapse in concentration against a team with this much forward talent.The second half saw Tunisia forced to open up, which played directly into Dutch hands. The second goal was a thing of beauty, a flowing move that carved the North Africans open from the halfway line. Yet, credit where it is due. Tunisia did not fold. They grabbed a lifeline back, a well worked set piece causing chaos in the six yard box, making the final quarter of an hour a rather more nervy affair than the Dutch would have liked. Squeaky bum time, as they say.However, any hopes of a Tunisian comeback were extinguished by a third Dutch goal, a coolly taken penalty after a clumsy challenge in the box. It was a harsh lesson for the Eagles of Carthage but a fair reflection of the gulf in quality when it really mattered. For the Netherlands, this was a professional, pragmatic performance. They have not hit top gear yet, and that is a worrying thought for the other sides in this bracket. Tunisia, meanwhile, will feel they competed but were ultimately undone by individual errors and a lack of punch in the final third. A decent account of themselves, but the scoreboard does not lie.
