Under-fire Dutch not hitting panic button, says Koeman

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman on Monday ruled out making wholesale changes for Tuesday’s last 16 match with Romania in Munich. 

The Dutch finished third in the pool stages, behind Austria and France, earning a last 16 clash with surprise group winners Romania. 

Romania topped their group largely thanks to an opening 3-0 win over Ukraine, having drawn and lost their remaining fixtures. The win was only Romania’s second victory in Euros history. 

Koeman’s side were beaten 3-2 by Austria but the coach insisted: “I will not make many changes to the line-up, we shouldn’t panic because of just one game.”

The 61-year-old praised Ralf Rangnick’s Austria, saying “sometimes the opponent is just better”.

Tuesday’s winner will face off against either Austria or Turkey in Berlin on Saturday, meaning a re-match with the Alpine nation could be on the cards. 

Koeman was a player when the Netherlands won the 1988 Euros on German soil. 

“If we have the luck we had in 1988, we’ll win tomorrow,” he said.

Virgil van Dijk said the Netherlands seemed to lack the “will to win” against Austria but forward Cody Gakpo said Monday “we need to be there, give energy, that’s our game plan. 

“We will need to start fighting from the first few seconds.”

The Liverpool forward said “we’re disappointed, everyone knows it needs to be better and we trained on that basis. 

“We’re through and now (the tournament) can really start.”