Late Wout Weghorst goal gives Dutch 2-1 win over Poland in their Euro 2024 opener

HAMBURG – Substitute Wout Weghorst said he “saw his goal coming” after snatching a late winner for the Netherlands in a 2-1 victory over Poland on June 16 in their opening Euro 2024 clash.

The Burnley striker, who burst into life at the 2022 World Cup, once again brought his best game to the big stage as Poland looked to have frustrated their opponents, despite injured striker Robert Lewandowski being unable to play in Hamburg.

The Barcelona striker’s replacement, Adam Buksa, headed Poland in front after 16 minutes, before Cody Gakpo levelled with a deflected effort at the Volkspark Stadium.

Netherlands failed to convert further openings and Poland improved as the Group D game seemed to be heading for a draw, before Weghorst intervened in the 83rd minute, just two minutes and 18 seconds after his introduction.

“So important to get the early win and for me personally it’s a dream scenario,” the 31-year-old said of his 12th goal for the Netherlands. “I saw it coming and I felt the goal coming. Our aim now is to leave with the trophy.”

He is just the second Oranje player to score off the bench in three consecutive matches, after Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink in 2007-08.

Clad in their traditional vibrant orange, a sea of bouncing Dutch supporters took over the streets of Hamburg before the game, hoping for a second European Championship trophy. Coach Ronald Koeman, in his second stint at the helm, won the tournament with the Oranje as a player in 1988.

The Netherlands, who performed strongly two years ago at the Qatar World Cup after failing to reach Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, came out of the blocks quickly.

Despite lacking the star power of previous generations, their current trio of forwards is dynamic.

Liverpool winger Gakpo took the creative reins alongside Memphis Depay and Xavi Simons, and tested Wojciech Szczesny with a low drive.

Midfielder Tijjani Reijnders steered a good chance narrowly wide before Poland took the lead against the run of play with one of their first forays forward.

Antalyaspor striker Buksa planted a glancing header beyond Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen from Piotr Zielinski’s corner.

“The task was to win the first match at all costs, and we succeeded,” said Dutch skipper Virgil van Dijk, who added that his team had to defend corners better.

“For the (first goal) he gets a free go at it, we have to pay attention to that, we have to be critical and I am also referring to myself.”

Szczesny had saved well from van Dijk and Depay flashed two efforts off target before Gakpo levelled.

The forward’s effort from just outside the area on 29 minutes deflected in off Bartosz Salamon, leaving Juventus goalkeeper Szczesny with no chance.

Player of the Match Gakpo told the BBC: “They scored first and it was a little more difficult, but we created a lot of good opportunities and we had to be more clinical – overall I think we performed pretty well... We are a team that never gives up.”

Depay fired agonisingly wide in first-half stoppage time as the Dutch maintained control and racked up shots.

Poland largely managed to stifle their opponents in a more even second half, with the Netherlands short of ideas.

Verbruggen saved from Jakub Kiwior at his near post, while the rampaging Denzel Dumfries threatened twice at the other end.

Stefan de Vrij headed a corner over but the fluency Koeman’s side produced in the opening period was harder to come by.

It took Weghorst to finally put the Oranje ahead. He finished clinically with his first opportunity.

Nathan Ake, who also teed up Gakpo for the opener, slid a low cross into the box and Weghorst diverted it home with his first touch of the game.

Bolstered by their late winner, Netherlands next face tournament favourites France on June 21, while Poland take on Austria hoping to have Lewandowski fit to play.

“It should have been 4-1 to us after an hour. We played very well but were not able to find the net,” said Koeman. “It was dangerous for us but we were lucky and we scored a second goal... I think the final result increased our confidence today.”

Ahead of the match, police shot and injured a man who threatened them with an axe and a Molotov cocktail in Hamburg, German authorities said.

The incident triggered a “major operation” in the city’s St Pauli district, police said on X. There was no indication that the incident was linked to the Poland-Netherlands match.

The attacker “came out of a pub with a pickaxe and a Molotov cocktail and threatened the police”, the spokesman said, adding that the suspect was shot in the leg. REUTERS, AFP