Aké also signs for the 3-0 at struggling Orange – Hartman makes debut for Gibraltar

Nathan Aké signs for his second goal of the evening by making it 3-0.

This time his goal comes with luck, after his shot is changed direction considerably. As a result, the goalkeeper is left defenseless.

77′ Malacia replaces De Ligt

Tyrell Malacia replaces Matthijs de Ligt.

It’s another noteworthy thing in an otherwise disappointing second half for Orange, which continues to struggle to demolish the Gibraltar wall.

Xavi Simons helps kill a great chance.

On the edge of the penalty area, the PSV striker takes the ball on his slipper once, but shoots high over. With a little more purity, he could have aimed the ball between the posts.

Blind and Klaassen come in

Daley Blind and Davy Klaassen come into the field for Memphis Depay and Mats Wieffer.

Depay seems to have some trouble with his upper leg in the process.

Driver drives past Rotterdam Stadion station

Hundreds of orange fans saw their final station pass them by tonight. The train they were on was supposed to stop at Rotterdam Stadion station, but accidentally drove past the station, reports Rijnmond.

Apologies followed not much later via the train’s public address system. The atmosphere in the train remained good, according to RTV Dordrecht reporter Corrado Francke: “A few reacted a bit frustrated, but enough people could see the fun in it.”

Some of the fans caught the next train back to the stadium at Rotterdam Zuid station. Francke himself decided to walk, and was still at the stadium well before kickoff.

51′ Gibraltar red card!

Gibraltar ends up with ten men after Liam Walker commits a clumsy foul on Mats Wieffer.

The Gibraltar midfielder lands on top of Wieffer’s ankle and then receives an instant red card from referee Morten Krogh.

There’s the 2-0 for Orange.

It is Nathan Aké who heads the ball into the goal via the inside of the post on a pass from Denzel Dumfries.

At Aké’s header, it is Wout Weghorst who pulls his head back just in time, so that the striker is not in the path of the goal attempt.

Gakpo and Malen come in

Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen enter the lines at Orange in the second half.

This comes at the expense of Steven Berghuis and Georginio Wijnaldum

All halftime standings of the European Championship qualifiers.

Group B:
Netherlands-Gibraltar 1-0
Ireland-France 0-0

Group E:
Moldova-Czech Republic 0-0
Poland-Albania 1-0

Group F:
Austria-Estonia 0-1
Sweden-Azerbaijan 1-0

Group G:
Hungary-Bulgaria 3-0
Montenegro-Serbia 0-0

Wout Weghorst gets another chance after a good attack, but goalkeeper Dayle Coleing cleverly saves.

It is Berghuis who serves Xavi Simons with a high cross. The PSV player then heads the ball towards Weghorst, who then kicks the ball against the goalkeeper’s hand.

44′ Malen and Gakpo run hot

It’s probably meant for the second half, but Ronald Koeman has already sent Donyell Malen and Cody Gakpo out of the dugout to warm up.

Suddenly Wout Weghorst gets the ball in the sixteen somewhat fortunately in front of his right foot. He then slides his leg out, but the ball rolls just wide of the post.

This was finally another serious chance for Orange, but it remains 1-0 for now.

34′ Orange is better, but few chances

The lead does not give Orange a boost for now.

Ronald Koeman’s team does not manage to create any major chances and that is reflected in the quiet atmosphere in the stands.

Memphis Depay heads Oranje into the lead after a good cross from Denzel Dumfries.

The Atlético Madrid striker assessed the cross superbly and nodded the ball into the goal precisely in front of the outgoing goalkeeper Dayle Coleing.

18′ No penalty kick for Berghuis

Steven Berghuis appears to be hooked in the Gibraltar sixteen by Lee Casciaro, but the referee and the VAR present do not want to know about a penalty kick. Gibraltar escapes.

Orange debutant Mats Wieffer shows off with a seething distance shot that flies narrowly wide of the wrong side of the post.

The Feyenoord midfielder often gets on the ball and clearly does not suffer from stage fright.

As expected, it’s an Orange storm toward the Gibraltar goal.

In the process, the Netherlands does not create very big chances yet, by the way. Xavi Simons comes close to the enemy goal twice, but falls just short of being dangerous. And Nathan Aké tries with a distance shot.

Orange opponent Greece plays draw

The footballers of Greece failed to win against Lithuania in an exercise match. The game in Athens ended 0-0.

Greece is one of the Dutch national team’s opponents in qualifying for next year’s European Championship in Germany. The team of national coach Gustavo Poyet had started the qualification on Friday with a win over Gibraltar (0-3).

AZ players Pantelis Hatzidiakos and Vangelis Pavlidis had a starting place with Greece on Monday. Former PVV player Georgios Giakoumakis replaced Pavlidis in the 69th minute.

The Netherlands and Greece face each other Sept. 7 at the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven. October 16 follows the second meeting, then in Greece.

‘Want us to have made the most of it afterwards’

Ronald Koeman hopes that after the game against Gibraltar, the Dutch national team cannot blame itself, especially after last Friday’s fiasco against France.

“Let’s hope then that we got the maximum out of this match. That is important,” Koeman said just before kickoff.

The national coach expects the Orange to play often in Gibraltar’s half, with the playing field being small. “We therefore also opt for two ‘tens’ in midfield, with Mempis Depay and Gini Wijnaldum,” he explained.

Chelsea suffer hefty loss due to sanctions against Abramovich

Soccer club Chelsea made a loss of more than 120 million pounds last season, or nearly 140 million euros. This, according to Chelsea, is mainly because of all the restrictions the club faced as a result of sanctions against former owner Roman Abramovich.

The Russian businessman sold Chelsea at the end of last season to an American consortium led by Todd Boehly.

After Russian military forces invaded Ukraine early last year, the British government put Abramovich on a sanctions list. The Russian was said to have close ties to President Vladimir Putin.

As a result, Chelsea, which had been owned by the Russian since 2003, was temporarily barred from selling tickets to home games, among other things.

The fan shop also had to close for a while and the club could not negotiate contracts with players. Chelsea even needed a special license to be able to continue playing soccer though.

Abramovich then decided to sell the club.

Starting place Wieffer, Weghorst and De Ligt against Gibraltar

National coach Ronald Koeman gives Mats Wieffer, Wout Weghorst and Matthijs de Ligt a starting place for the match against Gibraltar.

Wieffer and Weghorst started on the bench against France, while De Ligt was missing due to a stomach flu virus.

Denzel Dumfries is also back in the starting lineup. The right back was serving a suspension for in the game with the French.

Tonight’s full program

This is the full schedule of European Championship qualifying matches to be played tonight.

Group B:
Netherlands-Gibraltar
Ireland-France

Group E:
Moldova-Czech Republic
Poland-Albania

Group F:
Austria-Estonia
Sweden-Azerbaijan

Group G:
Hungary-Bulgaria
Montenegro-Serbia

All matches start at 8:45 p.m. tonight.

How did it go this afternoon with the Young Orange?

Jong Oranje failed to get beyond a draw this afternoon in its second practice game during the training camp in Spain.

Although there was more in the Pinatar Arena in Murcia, the team of national coach Erwin van de Looi came no further than 1-1 against the Czech Republic.

National coach Erwin van de Looi’s men won a practice match with Norway’s peers 3-0 last Saturday.

The training camp in Spain was convened in preparation for next summer’s European Championships in Georgia and Romania, which will also feature Norway and the Czech Republic.

The Netherlands will meet Belgium, Portugal and the host country successively in the group stage in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

The Dutch team plays its second European Championship qualifier tonight. ‘Small thumb’ Gibraltar will be the opponent of Orange in the Rotterdam Kuip stadium.

National coach Ronald Koeman’s team has something to make up for after the weak showing in last Friday’s match against France (4-0).

A victory over tiny Gibraltar will not be enough in advance to boost the prestige of the Dutch, but especially the number of goals scored will be the yardstick.

We will start soon at 8:45 p.m. Follow everything closely in this liveblog!