Netherlands are into the UEFA Nations League final after defeating England 3-1 after extra-time on Thursday night. Michael Bell rates the Oranje stars performances during the victory.

Jasper Cillessen 7/10: Couldn’t do anything about the penalty but other than that the goalkeeper had a solid night. Remained alert to save Sancho’s point blank header early in the second half. Looked to get Netherlands on the counter quickly too and was calm in possession.

Denzel Dumfries 6.5/10: Was eager to get forward and snapped into tackles. Didn’t make a huge impact though and was wayward with his crosses and final ball.

Daley Blind 7/10: Another very tidy performance at left-back from the Ajax man which showed why he is so valuable for Koeman. Didn’t get beaten for pace by Sancho, Sterling or Rashford. He also caught the eye with a sensational pass.

Virgil van Dijk 7.5/10: Imperious at the back once again for Oranje. Didn’t put a foot wrong throughout and was dominant despite being roundly booed by the English fans whenever he touched the ball.

Matthijs de Ligt 7/10: His big error put England into the lead but he made up for it after the break. Scored the equaliser and was excellent up against Harry Kane. Showed maturity to recover from his error.

Frenkie de Jong 8.5/10: Was named the official man of the match and was easily the best player on the pitch. Dictated play from the midfield and barely put a pass wrong throughout. A sensational player! England couldn’t get near him.

Marten de Roon 5.5/10: Didn’t validate Koeman’s decision to start him over Van de Beek. Made a few tackles in the first half but in possession he couldn’t make an impact. The game largely passed him by before he went off in the second half.

Georginio Wijnaldum 7/10: No signs of tiredness from the midfielder who played the full match and made an impression going forward, and at the back in the latter stages. His versatility in the midfield is a great bonus for Koeman.

Ryan Babel 5.5/10: A largely forgettable performance from Babel who struggled to get into the game in the first half before being replaced by Promes, who made a much bigger impact.

Steven Bergwijn 7.5/10: The PSV star had a strong game against England and caused their defence plenty of problems. Got into some great positions but his final pass or shot was a little bit lacking. Went off at the start of extra-time but this was a very encouraging performance from the winger.

Memphis Depay 6.5/10: Had a difficult time in front of goal but his relentless pressing is what got Netherlands the victory. He seized on the England errors in extra-time and unselfishly set up Promes to seal the victory. Snatched at a few chances but he was once again a thorn in the opponents side.

Substitutes

Donny van de Beek 7/10: First competitive Oranje appearance off the bench for van de Beek who added something to the Dutch attack. Some clever touches and passes created chances, while he almost scored with a strike that went over. Will be much more to come from the Ajax man in the near future.

Quincy Promes 7.5/10: Came off the bench in the second half and played a crucial role. Was lucky to see his shot rebound in off Kyle Walker to make it 2-1 but calmly slotted in the third late in extra-time. Proved he should start the final ahead of Ryan Babel.

Davy Propper 6/10: Entered the field in extra-time and helped Netherlands wrestle back control of the midfield. Tidy and efficient performance from the Brighton star.

Kevin Strootman N/A: Wasn’t on the pitch long enough for a rating




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