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June 27, 2021The Czech Republic surprisingly stretches the Netherlands 2-0 and qualifies for the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 where they will face Denmark who overcame Wales.
Balanced match in the first half, then in the second half the turning point came in the 55th minute when the Juventus defender de Ligt was sent off for a hand ball.
The Oranje lose the distance and the Czechs take advantage of it by going ahead in the 68th minute with Holes leading.
Holland tries to react, even with the man down, but in the restart the team led by coach Silhavy is deadly and at 80 'Schick scores the double, scoring his fourth personal goal in this European championship.
At the start of the match, the Netherlands were the first to become dangerous. At 12 'perfect launch of Blind for Dumfries' run that avoids Vaclik's exit but has to widen a lot and the shot is deflected for a corner. The Czechs respond in the 22nd minute with a cross from the bottom of Coufal, a dive by Soucek to hit his head, spit out on the opposite side. Silhavy's team comes back forward in the 37th minute with Masopust freeing Barak in front of Stekelenburg, a split by De Ligt who deflects a huge opportunity for a corner. In the recovery still dangerous Holland with Depay inventing for Van Aanholt, who runs out of a good position.
At the beginning of the second half in the 51st minute De Boer's team still dangerous with Malen jumping two defenders, arriving only in front of Vaclik whose exit is amazing, and wastes the biggest chance of the race.
Shortly after, in the 55th minute De Ligt was sent off after the control at the Var. The defender had been jumped by Schick on the edge of the area and to avoid sending him into the goal he touched the ball with his hand. The referee warns but the Var calls him back to the video and changes the decision by showing the red. The Czech Republic pours forward with the extra man and in the 64th minute the ball goes to Coufal who tries to place the ball in the opposite corner but Dumfries reaches out and replies.
The goal is mature, however, and arrives in the 68th minute: cross from the flag on a corner given by Stekelenburg, air bank with the goalkeeper hesitating in the exit and Holes heads between the post and the defender for the 1-0. The Netherlands tries to regroup to try to match but on the counterattack they still risk and in the 80 'suffers the doubling: Holes goes away in the area on the left and puts a ball in tow for Schick who arrives on time and slips against time in the low corner Stekelenburg's door for the 2-0 final.