With Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman watching from the stand, Memphis Depay delivered a trademark efficiency for the Netherlands in a 2–0 victory over Austria within the European Championship.
The striker, who’s out of contract with Lyon on the finish of the month and extensively anticipated to signal with Barcelona, scored a penalty and helped arrange the Netherlands’ second objective. He additionally missed a great alternative and induced issues for his personal staff by shedding the ball whereas making an attempt to beat the defenders.
Memphis readily admits that his model of play is high-risk and that a few of his flashy dribbles, again heels and impressive passes do not at all times work. But the Dutch coach and his teammates are completely happy to take the great with the unhealthy, figuring out he can flip a match right into a second of unconventional creativity.
Netherlands coach Frank de Boer admitted that Depay has not but been at his finest within the staff’s two Group C victories, a 3-2 win over Ukraine after which Thursday’s win over Austria.
“Let’s assume that Memphis can only progress and that in the coming matches – when it really matters – he will be the key person,” mentioned de Boer, who defined that Depay modified his penalty and that he had A run arrange by Daniel Malen that ended with Denzel Dumfries’ second objective of the match.
“Of course he knows he can do better,” de Boer mentioned. “But let’s move on to the tournament and save that for the round of 16 and hopefully more rounds after that.”
Depay has scored 27 objectives in 66 matches for the Netherlands#euro2020 | #NED pic.twitter.com/zBAZtvsVWb
— UEFA Euro 2020 (@Euro2020) June 17, 2021
The final time the Netherlands performed in a significant soccer match was the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Depay was a 20-year-old expertise ready within the wings behind largely established forwards Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben.
Nevertheless, he scored two objectives in Brazil and a yr later moved from PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United. However, he largely didn’t impress at Old Trafford and moved to Lyon in 2017.
In France, away from the strain of the Premier League, he has grown into a pacesetter and has simply completed his best-scoring season with 20 objectives. He has developed into an undisputed chief within the Dutch nationwide staff, catching the ball every time a free-kick is throughout the bounds of the objective.
His penalty in opposition to Austria was his twenty seventh objective in 66 internationals. His six objectives to date this yr have already been matched by his most efficient yr within the Netherlands orange shirt.
While Depay has but to completely dwell as much as expectations on the European Championship, Dumfries is certain his time will come.
“I think he has shown his quality in all our matches,” mentioned Dumfries, a wing-back who has scored a objective in every match at Euro 2020.
“I have full faith in Memphis. He’s a great player. I’m not worried about anything.”
.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
