The Netherlands have consistently won without conceding in six of their last seven matches. Poland, on the other hand, had a challenging qualifying campaign last year, losing three out of four away games. The Dutch team has achieved 4-0 victories in three of their last four matches. Denzel Dumfries, who has scored in consecutive major tournaments, is expected to find plenty of opportunities down his flank. The Dutch team is keen on a strong start after their commendable performance at the 2022 World Cup, where they pushed Argentina to penalties in the quarter-finals after winning three of their first four games. They now commence their Euro 2024 campaign in Germany against a Polish team that barely scraped through qualification.
Despite being outsiders with odds of 16/1 to win the tournament, the Dutch face a tough group, including a French team that has previously defeated them in qualifiers. Austria could also pose a significant challenge for one of the top two spots, making a winning start crucial for the Dutch.
Ronald Koeman, having guided the Netherlands to Euro 2020, left for Barcelona before the rescheduled tournament took place. Returning to the national team in January last year, Koeman has overseen 19 wins in 33 games across his two terms. He’s initiated a new era for the team, who missed out on Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, and now approaches the tournament in Germany from a position of strength.
The Dutch boast a potent attack featuring 21-year-old Xavi Simons, who joins Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo in the front three. They are also supported by Denzel Dumfries at right-wing-back, who has netted three goals across the last two major tournaments. Poland employs a compact system which could leave space for Dumfries on the flank, enhancing his chances of scoring.
Poland faces challenges, having narrowly qualified for the Euros by defeating Wales on penalties. They won only three of eight qualifying matches, with two wins against the Faroe Islands. Their poor performance in away games, where they lost three out of four, does not bode well for their prospects in Germany, particularly given their history of struggling to progress beyond the group stages in recent tournaments.
The Netherlands are favourably priced to start the tournament with a win, given their recent form of winning matches without conceding and scoring multiple goals. Considering Koeman’s options both defensively and offensively, a 3-0 victory for the Netherlands looks promising.
