Netherlands survived an early scare to defeat Poland 2-1 in Hamburg in the opening game of Group D at Euro 2024 as former Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst came off the bench to score a late winner.
2024 European Championship
1-2
Match Report
Robert Lewandowski was absent for the Poles due to a hamstring injury, but his replacement Adam Buksa filled the void to glance Michal Probierz's side in front (16) from Piotr Zielinski's corner.
Netherlands, who had already missed good chances through Tijjani Reijnders and Xavi Simons, ought to have levelled when Memphis Depay lifted his shot over the bar six minutes later - but they restored parity when Cody Gakpo's deflected shot wrong-footed Wojciech Szczesny (29).
It was the first of five attempts Gakpo had in the first-half during a wasteful performance - the joint-most on record (since 1980) for a Dutch player in the first half of a match at the Euros.
Poland needed the interval, but they showed more attacking intent upon the restart as Jakub Kiwior's shot took a nick off Nathan Ake and forced Bart Verbruggen to make the save, before Piotr Zielinski's attempt from 20 yards brought another smart stop from the Dutch goalkeeper.
This was a spirited Polish team but after Denzel Dumfries swept another attempt wide of the far post, it was substitute Weghorst - still a Burnley player - who scored the winner within five minutes of coming off the bench, latching onto a clever through ball from Nathan Ake to guide home his seventh goal in his last 11 appearances for the Oranje.
Poland refused to give up as substitute Karol Swiderski nearly levelled when he met Jakub Piotrowski's cross to fire low towards the near post and have Verbruggen at full stretch before Piotrowski's follow-up was blazed into the side-netting.
The result means the Netherlands top the group ahead of France facing Austria in the other match from the opening gameweek in Düsseldorf on Monday.
Match Events
0' KICK-OFF! Who can win this match?
2' CLOSE! Szczesny denies Gakpo’s effort
8' CLOSE! Reijnders’ shot wide out
13' Xavi Simons’ long shot inches wide!
15' Yellow Card! Tijjani Reijnders booked
16' GOAL! Poland 1-0 Netherlands (Adam Buksa)
19' SAVE! Szczesny parries Van Dijk shot
21' Depay’s shot flies into the sky
27' Gakpo’s shot wide out
29' GOAL! Poland 1-1 Netherlands (Cody Gakpo)
46' CLOSE! Depay’s shot wide out
47' What a save from Szczesny
58' CLOSE! Goalkeeper denies Kiwior’s effort
64' CLOSE! Dumfries’ shot wide out
72' CHANCE! De Vrij's header over the bar
83' GOAL! Poland 1-2 Netherlands (Weghorst)
89' Świderski’s powerful strike stopped by goalkeeper
Line-ups
Poland XI: Szczesny, Salamon, Zielinski, Bednarek, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Adam Buksa, Taras Romanczuk, Sebastian Szymanski, Jakub Kiwior, Nicola Zalewski, Kacper Urbanski
Subs: K. Grosicki, Lewandowski, Skorupski, Bereszynski, Dawidowicz, Damian Szymanski, Piatek, Karol Świderski, Bartosz Slisz, Jakub Piotrowski, Tymoteusz Puchacz, Jakub Moder, Sebastian Walukiewicz, Bulka, Michal Skoras
Netherlands XI: De Vrij, Depay, Ake, Van Dijk, Dumfries, Cody Gakpo, Schouten, Joey Veerman, Tijjani Reijnders, Bart Verbruggen, Xavi Simons
Subs: Wijnaldum, Blind, Mark Flekken, Weghorst, Bergwijn, Justin Bijlow, De Ligt, Lutsharel Geertruida, Donyell Malen, Gravenberch, Joshua Zirkzee, Jeremie Frimpong, Maatsen, Micky van de Ven