Dick Advocaat gets his third tenure in charge of the Dutch national team underway on Friday as Netherlands face Luxembourg in a must-win World Cup qualifier. Kick-off in Rotterdam is at 7.45pm.

It’s been a good week for Netherlands, with Fred Grim overseeing a 2-1 win over Morocco before Oranje demolished Ivory Coast 5-0 in De Kuip. However, those friendly results will count for nothing if Netherlands fail to get their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track against Luxembourg on Friday.

Dick Advocaat officially takes control of the national team for the first time since he was named as Danny Blind’s successor last month, and he told the press on Thursday that only a win will do on Friday.

Advocaat said, ”I am pleased to be back managing the national team and we must win tomorrow.  Without a doubt will be playing against a team that is very defensively minded with 8 or 9 players behind the ball. I can stimulate the players. But it is up to them to take the initiative and show that they want to win the game.”

Netherlands currently sit fourth in the group, three points behind second-placed Sweden, who host leaders France, while third-placed Bulgaria head to Belarus. Luxembourg are bottom of the group with only one point from the opening five games.

With an away game against France up next in August, Netherlands must hope that they win big against Luxembourg, who sit 145th in the World rankings, and hope other results go their way in order to reclaim second-placed.

Team News

Advocaat has already confirmed that Wesley Sneijder will start to pick up his 131st and record-breaking cap, which will take him past previous record holder Edwin van der Sar. The Galatasaray midfielder will probably start instead of Davy Klaassen. Advocaat has also confirmed that Stefan de Vrij and Wesley Hoedt will form the centre-back partnership.

Probable Netherlands line-up: Cillessen, Veltman, Blind, De Vrij, Hoedt, Strootman, Wijnaldum, Sneijder, Robben, Memphis, Janssen

Luxembourg, who boosted their confidence with a friendly win over Albania in midweek are without former RKC forward and top scorer Aurelien Joachim. Metz super talent Vincent Thill, who is only 17 should start alongside his brother Sebastien.

Probable Luxembourg line-up: Schon, Jans, Malget, Chanot, Mahmutovic, Martins, Gerson, V Thill, Bensi, S Thill, Turpel

Head to Head

Unsurprisingly Netherlands have won all nine of their last nine appearances with Luxembourg, who have actually beaten Oranje twice in their history, but their last win came in 1968. When the two met in Luxembourg last November, Netherlands posted a 3-1 victory with Memphis Depay netting a double.

Games: 16 Netherlands wins: 13 Draws: 1 Luxembourg wins: 2

Odds

Netherlands 1/50 Draw 33/1 Luxembourg win 50/1




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