Goals from Brian Brobbey ($5.7m) and Jan Paul van Hecke ($4.3m) helped the Netherlands beat Tunisia 3-1 in Kansas City, securing top spot in Group F.
We reflect on this game in our Scout Notes, which features match stats from our World Cup Toolkit page.
TUNISIA 1-3 NETHERLANDS
- Goals: Mastouri | Brobbey, van Hecke
- Own goals: Skhiri
- Assists: Mejbri | Dumfries, van Dijk, Reijnders
- Shots on target bonus: Mastouri
- Tackles bonus: Gharbi
- Saves bonus: Dahmen | Verbruggen
- Most points for the Netherlands: van Hecke (11), Brobbey (9), Reijnders (7), Dumfries (5), van Dijk (5)
TEAM STATS
SCOUT NOTES
- Ronald Koeman made one change from the Netherlands’ impressive 5-1 win over Sweden, replacing Micky van de Ven ($5.1m) with Nathan Ake ($5.0m).
- Naming him and Crysencio Summerville ($5.3m) on the bench was likely influenced by the duo being close to suspension.
- Tunisia’s four tweaks brought in Rani Khedira, Amine Ben Hamida, Ismael Gharbi and Hazem Mastouri for Dylan Bronn, Omar Rekik, Elias Saad and Sebastian Tounekti.
- With the North Africans already eliminated, the only question was whether the Dutch would top Group F and, by the seven-minute mark, they answered by going 2-0 up.
- First, a low Denzel Dumfries ($5.7m) cross led to Ellyes Skhiri turning the ball past his own goalkeeper.
- That’s now three assists for highly-selected Dumfries, who didn’t shoot versus either Japan or Sweden but racked up four attempts here, two from around the six-yard box.
- Brian Brobbey cemented his first-team spot by scoring again, hanging around at the back post to convert a free-kick that Virgil van Dijk ($5.5m) headed across.
- Surprisingly, his three goals have come from only four shots, playing a mere 154 minutes.
- However, investing in a Dutch defender is complicated. Attacking returns are arriving, but they’ve conceded in every match, gifting 36 attempts and 15 shots on target to opponents.
- Bart Verbruggen ($4.7m) found himself gaining save points, a slight consolation after Hazem Mastouri thwarted clean sheet hopes.
- Soon after, the copycat Netherlands headed in a corner for themselves. Jan Paul van Hecke flicked Tijani Reijnders‘ ($6.5m) set-piece corner backwards and into the top corner, restoring their two-goal lead.
- There was still time for a Reijnders lob to hit the crossbar, and the Manchester City midfielder played well here. Three shots, two on target and four key passes.
- It’s probably worth mentioning that the Netherlands are unlucky with the Round of 32 draw. One of four group winners who must face a runner-up rather than a third-placed nation, their ‘reward’ for coming first is a long trip to face 2022 semi-finalists Morocco. A mouthwatering tie for neutrals.
- Whoever wins that will get Canada or South Africa in the Round of 16.
