Oranje through to World Cup knock out with 3-1 win over Tunisia

The Netherlands secured their place in the knockout stage of the World Cup on Thursday with a 3-1 victory over Tunisia in Kansas City. The win saw Oranje finish top of Group F.

Despite fears of disruption by the weather, the match got off to a lightning start. After just two minutes and 21 seconds, the ball was in the net: a cross from Denzel Dumfries was turned into an own goal by a Tunisian defender.

It was the second-fastest World Cup goal in Dutch history, bettered only by Johan Neeskens’ legendary penalty in the 1974 final against West Germany.

Five minutes later it was already 2-0. Virgil van Dijk flicked the ball toward goal, and Brian Brobbey finished convincingly. It was his third goal of the tournament and his fourth in his last four starts for the national side.

After the blistering opening, the Netherlands squandered chances and grew sloppy. In the second half, Tunisia — who had already been beaten 4-0 by Japan and 5-1 by Sweden earlier in the group — fought their way back into the match. heading home a corner to make it 2-1.

Jan Paul van Hecke, scoring his first-ever international goal, quickly restored the two-goal cushion with a header from another corner.

The next challenge comes Monday night, when the Netherlands face Morocco in Monterrey, Mexico, at 3am Dutch time in the round of 32.

Japan managed to beat Sweden 2-1, to take the number two slot in Group F. They will now meet Group C winners Brazil.

Despite the victory, coach Ronald Koeman was critical of the Dutch performance.”If we want to go far, things need to improve,” Koeman said after the match.