Substitute Wout Weghorst scored a late goal just two minutes after coming on, securing a victory for the Netherlands against Poland in their Euro 2024 opener at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion.
Before the game, an incident occurred where a man was shot by police near the fan gathering area, but the match proceeded and turned out to be an exciting contest.
Poland, missing their top scorer Robert Lewandowski due to a thigh injury, took an early lead when Adam Buksa scored with a header. Despite the setback, the Netherlands dominated play but missed several chances until Cody Gakpo’s deflected shot found the net, leveling the score.
The Dutch continued to create chances, with Gakpo missing a close-range opportunity before halftime. After the break, they maintained their pressure, but Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny denied Denzel Dumfries, and youngster Xavi Simons shot wide after a setup from Gakpo.
Just when it seemed the game would end in a draw, Burnley striker Weghorst, introduced in the 81st minute, scored the winning goal from close range moments after entering the pitch.
This win is crucial for the Netherlands, who face France next in Group D on Friday, while Poland will play against Austria on the same day.
The Netherlands have not won the European Championship since 1988, when their current coach Ronald Koeman was a player. Despite losing key playmaker Frenkie de Jong to an ankle injury before the tournament, they are among the favorites to win in Germany. They came into the Euros in strong form, with 4-0 wins against Canada and Iceland in recent friendlies.
The Dutch team’s confident and accurate passing created numerous chances, and they should have been comfortably ahead before Buksa scored with one of Poland’s first opportunities. Gakpo’s equalizer was deserved, but the Dutch continued to struggle with finishing.
Koeman’s decision to bring on Weghorst paid off as the striker showed the movement and finishing his team needed to secure three valuable points. This was another heroic moment for Weghorst, who scored a stoppage-time equalizer against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup.
Koeman praised Weghorst, saying, “Wout Weghorst was able to play and he has added value to the team. He has a different way of behaving and that is what we needed. This should have been 4-1 in our favor after one hour. We played very well but couldn’t finish opportunities. Cody Gakpo also played very well. He was dangerous and we should give him the ball more often.”
Poland, though disappointed by the late goal, can be encouraged by their performance. Buksa, who replaced Lewandowski, made the most of his chance with the opening goal. Poland had other opportunities, and Lewandowski’s return for the next game could boost their chances.
Poland coach Michal Probierz remains optimistic: “Lewandowski is coming back to strength and he will hopefully play against Austria. He is a very important player for us. Hopefully, we will have more competition in this team. We are not giving up. We will do everything we can to qualify.”
