Holland score fantastic counter-attacking goal as Donyell Malen and Memphis Depay combine before the new Barcelona man scores… but North Macedonia players fume over a possible foul by Daley Blind
- Daley Blind’s robust challenge on Goran Pandev led to the Netherlands attacking
- Donyell Malen carried the ball before exchanging passes with Memphis Depay
- The PSV Eindhoven man then laid it on a plate for Depay to sidefoot home coolly
- North Macedonia were incensed by the tackle – but the goal was allowed to stand
- Patrick Vieira felt Blind’s challenge was fair – but others on Twitter weren’t sure
- A Georginio Wijnaldum led the Group C winners to a 3-0 victory in Amsterdam
- Find out the latest Euro 2020 news including fixtures, live action and results here
Both their group-stage fates were already sealed, but salt has been rubbed into North Macedonia’s wounds after opponents the Netherlands scored a controversial opener through Memphis Depay as they cruised to a 3-0 win.
Frank de Boer’s men were guaranteed to finish top of Group C regardless of the result in Amsterdam, while the visitors would have still come bottom even if they had won.
The controversial incident happened in the 24th minute, when Daley Blind caught some of the ball and some of the man in a robust challenge on Goran Pandev of the edge of the Netherlands’ box before Malen and Depay set to work.
Daley Blind slid in forcefully on Goran Pandev before the Netherlands counterattacked rapidly
Donyell Malen and Memphis Depay combined brilliantly before the latter tucked home coolly
Depay now has two goals at Euro 2020 after also scoring the opener in the 2-0 win over Austria
Ryan Gravenberch laid the loose ball off to Malen, who sped over the halfway line and between Arijan Ademi and Darko Velkovski before shifting it to Depay.
The new Barcelona forward then returned the favour, with Malen then squaring the ball from the right edge of the box for Depay to tuck home from 12 yards.
North Macedonia’s players immediately remonstrated with referee Istvan Kovacs before a VAR review instructed the Hungarian official to allow the goal to stand.
Clive Tyldesley and Ally McCoist both felt the decision was marginal and reacting at half time to the incident, former Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong admitted he was worried that the effort might be ruled out.
‘It’s a great counterattacking goal and a great finish by Depay. We were a bit concerned it was going to be a foul. Great goal, great build-up,’ he told ITV.
Fellow pundit Patrick Vieira added: ‘It was a really good challenge. It looked a bit spectacular but I think he touched the ball and it’s a really good challenge, that’s where the counterattack started.
North Macedonia protests fell on deaf ears as referee Istvan Kovacs was told to give the goal
‘They managed to play the first pass forward and with the quality they made the really quick transition.’
However, a number of fans the game disagreed with Vieira’s viewpoint.
Laura Jane Jones tweeted: ‘WTAF is the point of VAR when they don’t overturn a goal like that?? Clear foul yet the goal stands. What a joke!! If you aren’t going to use it properly don’t use it at all.’
Patrick Vieira felt Blind’s challenge on Pandev was a clean one – but not everyone agreed
WTAF is the point of VAR when they don’t overturn a goal like that?? Clear foul yet the goal stands. What a joke!! If you aren’t going to use it properly don’t use it at all 臘♀️臘♀️ #EURO2020 #MKDNED
— Laura Jane Jones (@LAURAJANEJONES_) June 21, 2021
Meanwhile, Ian M said: ‘How on earth is that not a foul in the build-up to the Dutch goal?’
North Macedonia had two goals disallowed for offside during the contest, with the latter of those ruled-out efforts coming after Georginio Wijnaldum had knocked the game on the head with a quickfire second-half double.