Netherlands v Czech Republic Live Commentary & Result, 27/06/2021, European Championship

52′ CHANCE! What an opportunity for the Netherlands to take the lead! Malen shows great skill to skip past a couple of Czech defenders and then race through on goal and he only had Vaclik to beat. The striker tries to round the keeper, but Vaclik does brilliantly and makes a superb stop to gather the ball and clear the danger. Huge chance!
M. de Ligt
Yellow Card
52′ Yellow Card Matthijs de Ligt
51′ Wijnaldum has been kept quiet in midfield so far by the Czech Republic, the Netherlands skipper hasn’t been able to influence the game as much as he has in previous matches.
49′ Slow start to the second half, with the Netherlands just keeping possession comfortably in midfield and not really pushing forward in search of the opening goal.
47′ Kaderabek is receiving some medical attention following the aerial challenge with Dumfries, but the left-back is now back up on his feet and should be fine to continue.
D. Dumfries
Yellow Card
46′ The first yellow card of the game is shown to Dumfries for his high arm on Kaderabek as the pair battle for the ball in the air.
46′ The second half is under way!
Both teams have played at a high intensity so far, but Czech Republic have had the better opportunities and probably should be ahead. The Netherlands need to improve if they are to test their opponents in the final third.
It’s goalless at the break between the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, in a lively game that hasn’t seen too many goalscoring chances. Barak had the best opportunity for Czech Republic after a quick counter, but De Ligt brilliantly got across to deflect his shot over the crossbar, when it looked like he would fire his country ahead. Netherlands have seen more of the ball in the first half, but are yet to test Vaclik in goal, with the Czech defence looking pretty comfortable.
45′ + 3′ HALF-TIME: NETHERLANDS 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
45′ + 2′ Not too far away! Brilliant skill by Depay to get away from his marker in the box and he slides the ball through to Van Aanholt, who drags a shot well wide of the goal. However, it wouldn’t have counted anyway as he the wing-back was offside.
45′ There will be a minimum of two minutes added time played at the end of the first half.
44′ Schick has been very lively for Czech Republic today, he’s been a huge handful for Blind and De Ligt, as has Soucek when he ventures into the box from deep. He’s always a threat in the air.
42′ Since winning the tournament in 1988, the Netherlands have progressed from just two of their seven knockout stage games in the European Championship, beating Yugoslavia 6-1 in the 2000 quarter-final, and winning 5-4 on penalties against Sweden at the same stage in 2004.
40′ There isn’t long left to play before the end of the first half, can either side break the deadlock before the half-time whistle?
38′ CHANCE! Huge opportunity for Czech Republic to take the lead! De Roon misplaces a pass in midfield and their opponents race forward on the counter-attack. Masopust sprints into the box and lays it to Barak, who seems to only have Stekelenburg to beat, but De Ligt does brilliantly to get back and get the slightest of touches on the shot, to send it over the crossbar. Brilliant defending.
36′ Both teams are defending well at the moment, dealing with everything that their opponents can throw at them. Czech Republic have enjoyed a bit more possession in the last few minutes.
34′ Lovely play by Czech Republic down the right wing and Coufal is released deep down the flank and he delivers a good low cross into the box aiming for Schick. However, De Ligt reads it well and makes the clearance.
32′ Plenty of pushing and shoving in the box as Netherlands prepare to whip another corner into the penalty area, but the set piece disappoints and Czech Republic clear the danger.
30′ We’re at the half an hour mark now and it remains goalless between Netherlands and Czech Republic, with not many chances for either team so far.
28′ Decent effort! Schick manages to work a little bit of space on the edge of the penalty area and he powers an effort towards goal, but Stekelenburg reads it well and makes a good save.
26′ Czech Republic have been eliminated in three of their last four games in the knockout stages of the European Championships – versus Germany in the final in 1996, Greece in the semi-final in 2004, and most recently, Portugal in the quarter-final of EURO 2012.
24′ We’re having a drinks break midway through the first half as it is very warm in Budapest, so both sets of players are getting some extra fluids and also some instructions from the sidelines.
22′ CHANCE! Sevcik whips a brilliant cross into the box from the right wing, after he gets away from his marker and Soucek meets the ball at the near post, getting ahead of De Ligt. The West Ham midfielder tries to glance his header into the far corner of the net, but he doesn’t get enough on it and flies well wide.
21′ Wasted opportunity! Netherlands win a free-kick deep down the right wing and it’s a good opportunity for them to get a few players into the box and create something. However, the ball in from Depay is poor and it comes out to De Jong on the edge of the penalty area, before it’s eventually cleared by Czech Republic.
19′ The winners of this game will face Denmark in the quarter-finals, after they beat Wales 4-0 in Amsterdam yesterday.
17′ Netherlands are doing well in possession, but they just seem to be short of ideas in the final third at the moment, with their opponents looking strong in defence.
15′ Depay does really well to hold up the ball on the halfway line, under heavy pressure from Celustka, who barges into the back of him and gives away a clear free-kick.
13′ ALMOST! Dumfries makes a terrific diagonal run across the Czech Republic defence and gets in behind, racing onto the end of a long ball and he tries to beat Vaclik to it on the edge of the box, who raced out of his goal. However, Kalas keeps up with him and does well with the initial header, before blocking the shot from Dumfries. Excellent defending.
12′ This will be the first meeting between the Netherlands and Czech Republic since October 2015, when the Dutch were beaten 3-2 in a EURO 2016 qualifier. Indeed, they have lost each of their last two games against the Czech Republic – both coming in qualifying for the previous European Championships in 2016.
10′ This is better from Netherlands, they are starting to get the ball down and control possession in midfield, with De Jong looking strong in the middle of the pitch.
8′ Not too far away! Netherlands take a corner short to create a better angle for the cross into the penalty area and it eventually comes into the box from Malen and is met by De Ligt at the far post. However, the angle is very tight and the centre-back can’t turn his header on target.
7′ Netherlands win an early corner, after Depay releases Dumfries deep down the right wing and the wing-back tries to drill a cross into the box, but it is well blocked by Kalas.
5′ Both teams are just trying to control the ball and keep possession at the moment, the game has got off to a frantic start and it is end-to-end so far.
3′ There is a packed crowd inside the stadium, with plenty of Netherlands and Czech Republic supporters making their voices heard in the opening few minutes of the game. It should be a lively one.
1′ We’re under way!
The teams are out on the pitch and kick-off is just a few minutes away, stay tuned for all the match action!
Meanwhile Czech Republic have made three changes to their starting line-up, with Boril, Darida and Jankto those dropping to the bench and they have been replaced by Kaderabek, Sevcik and Barak.
Frank De Boer has only made one change to his Netherlands side that beat North Macedonia 3-0 last time out, with Gravenberch replaced by De Roon in midfield.
CZECH REPUBLIC SUBS: Jakub Brabec, Michal Krmencik, Jakub Jankto, Ales Mandous, Adam Hlozek, Matej Vydra, Alex Kral, Ales Mateju, Tomas Koubek, Tomas Pekhart, Jakub Pesek, Michal Sadilek.
CZECH REPUBLIC (4-2-3-1): Tomas Vaclik; Vladimir Coufal, Ondrej Celustka, Tomas Kalas, Pavel Kaderabek; Petr Sevcik, Tomas Soucek; Lukas Masopust, Tomas Holes, Antonin Barak; Patrik Schick.
NETHERLANDS SUBS: Joel Veltman, Nathan Ake, Owen Wijndal, Steven Berghuis, Quincy Promes, Tim Krul, Davy Klaassen, Ryan Gravenberch, Wout Weghorst, Marco Bizot, Jurrien Timber, Cody Gakpo.
NETHERLANDS (3-4-1-2): Maarten Stekelenburg; Stefan De Vrij, Matthijs De Ligt, Daley Blind; Denzel Dumfries, Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon, Patrick Van Aanholt; Georginio Wijnaldum; Memphis Depay, Donyell Malen.
Meanwhile Czech Republic finished third in Group D with four points and progressed to the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed sides. They won their first game against Scotland, before drawing 1-1 with Croatia and losing their final game against England.
Netherlands finished top of Group C, winning all three of their games against Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia and they are one of the teams to watch in the tournament, having scored the most goals in the group stages, with eight.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE match commentary of the Euro 2020 Round of 16 clash between Netherlands and Czech Republic in Budapest.

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