CARDIFF (Reuters) -A second-string Netherlands beat Wales 2-1 away after a dramatic late finale within the Nations League on Wednesday, bringing the hosts again all the way down to earth after they secured World Cup qualification on the weekend.
Wout Weghorst gained the sport for the Dutch, scoring with a header 4 minutes into stoppage time, straight after Wales seemed to have snatched a late draw when Rhys Norrington-Davies netted two minutes into stoppage time.
Teun Koopmeiners opened the scoring 5 minutes into the second half to provide the guests the lead, after coach Louis van Gaal had modified his complete crew from the facet that opened their League A Group Four marketing campaign with a 4-1 thumping of neighbours Belgium final Friday.
Wales additionally rested a few of their senior squad members after profitable a World Cup place for the primary time in 64 years after they beat Ukraine 1-0 on Sunday, permitting fringe gamers to stake a declare for choice within the Qatar-bound crew.
Despite trying the brighter of the 2 sides within the first half, Wales have been caught early within the second when Koopmeiners discovered a pocket of house to fireside residence from the sting of the realm with his weaker proper foot after being arrange by debutant Jerdy Schouten.
The Dutch had just one likelihood within the first 45 minutes, on the stroke of halftime, when Cody Gakpo’s shot was deflected away for a nook by Chris Mepham.
Before that Wales’s Harry Wilson hit the goal with a free kick however his effort was punched away by Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Welsh talisman Gareth Bale made a cameo look within the closing quarter-hour nevertheless it was Norrington-Davies who rose powerfully on the again publish to go residence an equaliser.
Yet virtually straight from the kick off, Frenkie de Jong surged ahead at first of a transfer that ended with Weghorst diving to go residence a dramatic winner.
“It was a improbable counter however we have been sloppy within the first half, turned over a whole lot of possession and so we could not assault. But I hold saying we have now an incredible squad,” Van Gaal instructed Dutch NOS tv after the sport.
Wales have now misplaced each video games of the brand new Nations League marketing campaign after defeat in Poland every week in the past and in addition noticed a 19-match unbeaten residence file come to an inauspicious end.
Wednesday’s win prolonged the Netherlands’ 100% file over Wales to 9 matches and put them high of the Nations League group.
The Dutch subsequent host Poland in Rotterdam on Saturday when Wales host Belgium.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
