To hope to qualify directly for the World Cup in Qatar, Louis Van Gaal's men will have to collect at least one point against Norway on Tuesday in Rotterdam (8:45 p.m.), on the final day of the qualifying phases.
It took five irrational minutes to plunge the Batavians back into an ocean of doubts, exhuming traumatic memories of 2018, when they missed out on qualifying for the Russian World Cup.
Memphis Depay had yet put his teammates on the right path, scoring a penalty in the 25th minute, then doubling the lead at the start of the second period (54).
The joy of the Dutch striker Memphis Depay (r), congratulated by his teammate Danny Blind, after opening the scoring on a penalty against Montenegro, during the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, November 13, 2021 in Podgorica MAURITIUS VAN STEEN AFP
But the Oranje defense liquefied at the end of the game, conceding two goals: the first from Ilija Vukotic (82), after having erased goalkeeper Justin Bijlow, and the second from Nikola Vujnovic, who rose to- above Daley Blind to place a winning header (86)
Earlier in the evening, Norway, deprived of its star striker Erling Haaland, had nevertheless made it easier for the Oranje by conceding a draw against Latvia (0-0).
Now, the Batavians will play a final against the Scandinavians on Tuesday in Rotterdam, in a closed-door stadium due to the resurgence of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands.
© 2021 AFP