September 7th 2024.
Matthijs de Ligt had a tough night on the pitch, despite his team's impressive victory. His coach, Ronald Koeman, came to his defense after the match, stating that it was unfair to focus solely on de Ligt's mistakes and make a big deal out of them.
The Netherlands started their Nations League campaign with a bang, with a convincing 5-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Eindhoven. Goals from Joshua Zirkzee, Tijjani Reijnders, Cody Gakpo, Wout Weghorst, and Xavi Simons secured the victory for the hosts.
However, Bosnia and Herzegovina did not go down without a fight. After Zirkzee's early goal, they managed to equalize through Ermedin Demirovic, who took advantage of some poor defending from de Ligt. The Manchester United center-back was caught out of position, allowing Demirovic to score with a well-taken strike.
De Ligt was also at fault for the visitors' second goal, as he was caught ball-watching and allowed Edin Dzeko to score. This goal made for a nervy finish for the Dutch, but late goals from Weghorst and Simons put the game out of reach for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Despite the win, de Ligt's performance was heavily criticized by Dutch fans on social media. However, Koeman defended his player, stating that the blame should not be solely placed on him. He also hopes that this match serves as a wake-up call for the young defender.
Koeman pointed out that it was not just de Ligt's mistakes that led to the goals, but also errors from other players, such as Xavi Simons. He also mentioned that the team played well in possession of the ball and created many chances, but they should have killed off the game before Dzeko's goal.
The coach praised his team's performance, but also acknowledged that there were moments of doubt and lapses in concentration, which allowed Bosnia and Herzegovina to score. He also noted that the opposition scored two goals from very little, highlighting the importance of being alert and focused at all times.
Despite the criticism, the Netherlands team should be proud of their performance and the result. And for de Ligt, this match serves as a lesson and a reminder to always stay focused and avoid making costly mistakes.
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