Football EM 2021: Netherlands win against North Macedonia

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Donyell Malen and Memphis Depay cheer after the 1-0

Photo: Piroshka van de Wouw - Pool / Getty Images

On the third day of the group stage at the European Football Championship, the Netherlands defeated North Macedonia 3-0 (1-0).

The goals in Amsterdam were scored by Memphis Depay (24th minute) and Georginio Wijnaldum (51st and 58th).

Even before the game, the Dutch were the first and the newcomer to the European Championship North Macedonia was the last of the group.

Despite this comfortable starting position, Bondscoach Frank de Boer decided not to use a B-Elf.

Only two new players entered the starting line-up, among them Donyell Malen from PSV Eindhoven, who played for Wout Weghorst from Wolfsburg.

It was also Malen who prepared the 1-0 through Depay with a fine pass in the back of the defense in the 24th minute.

The attacker, who will move to FC Barcelona in the coming season, pushed into the left corner from ten meters away.

The North Macedonians wanted to say goodbye with a good performance when they participated in the European Championships for the first time and, especially in the early stages, played courageously forwards.

Aleksandar Trajkovski hit the post just before the 0: 1 with a powerful shot (22nd).

The preparatory work in his 122nd and last international match was provided by the North Macedonian legend Goran Pandev, who had received an orange jersey with the number 122 from the Dutch before the game. The 37-year-old made his international debut almost exactly 20 years ago and scored a goal when these two nations first met in 2004.

In the second half, Wijnaldum, who moved from Liverpool to Paris Saint-Germain, increased it to 2-0 (51st) and 3-0 (58th).

It was the international goals 24 and 25 of the 30-year-old who overtook Marco van Basten.

The Dutch are now attacking the North Macedonian goal, a goal should not succeed despite the offensive vortex.

Emotional high point of the game: Pandev left the pitch with tears and the applause of his teammates in the 69th minute.

In the round of 16 in Budapest, the Dutch face one of the third from groups D / E / F.

The game starts at 6 p.m. (live ticker: SPIEGEL.de).

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