The Netherlands officially took control of Group G in their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign after defeating minnows Malta 4-0 in Ta’ Qali on Wednesday. The victory solidifies the Oranje’s position at the top of the group, three points clear of their closest rivals, Poland and Finland.
Coach Ronald Koeman’s side, featuring returning players like Jeremie Frimpong and the attacking trio of Cody Gakpo, Wout Weghorst, and Memphis Depay, initially struggled to break down the Maltese defence in a low-tempo first half. Despite an early scare where Malta’s Irvin Cardona intercepted a poor pass from skipper Virgil van Dijk only to fire wide, the Netherlands were eventually rewarded in the 12th minute. After Gakpo was fouled in the box, he was entrusted with the spot-kick and calmly converted, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The first half ended with surprisingly close statistics, suggesting a frustrated Dutch side that had struggled for precision. However, order was swiftly restored after the break as Koeman’s message took immediate effect.
Three minutes into the second half, the cushion was doubled when Gakpo converted his second penalty after another foul inside the area. Just ten minutes later, Manchester City star Tijjani Reijnders made it 3-0. The midfielder capitalized after goalkeeper Henry Bonello was pressured into a bad pass, allowing Gakpo to lay the ball off for Reijnders to score into an open net.
The final goal of the evening arrived in the third minute of injury time, fittingly scored by the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer, Memphis Depay. Depay headed home a powerful cross from Denzel Dumfries, sealing the 4-0 victory. The comprehensive win provides a crucial boost to the Netherlands’ goal difference as they now look ahead to their next hurdle: hosting Finland at the Johan Cruyff ArenA this Sunday.
