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Netherlands top Group A with 2-0 win over hosts Qatar

Netherlands top Group A with 2-0 win over hosts Qatar

Caitlin Dillon

The Netherlands achieved a comfortable 2-0 win over Qatar to top Group A at Al Khor’s Al Bayt Stadium.

Cody Gakpo opened the scoreline, making him the tournament’s joint-top goalscorer alongside Kylian Mbappé and Enner Valencia. Frenkie de Jong also got onto the scoreboard for the team’s second goal.

The Dutch, who failed to qualify for Russia 2018, progress to the knockout stages unbeaten where they will face the team that finishes second in Group B - which we will learn during today’s late matches.

PSV Eindhoven’s Gakpo has now scored the Netherlands’ opening goal in each of their group games, on this occasion flicking the ball into the bottom corner. Qatar had a chance to equalise immediately, but but Ismaeel Mohammad's shot from outside the area was fired straight at Andries Noppert.

Louis van Gaal's men scored at the start of the second half to dampen Qatar’s hopes of a comeback as Memphis Depay’s rebounding shot was chipped into an open net by Frenkie de Jong. The Netherland’s Steven Berghuis also had a goal ruled out.

Group A end the group stages with The Netherlands at the top on 7 points. Senegal also qualify, sitting in second place on six points. Ecuador and Qatar bow out of the competition, sitting in third place with four points, and fourth place with zero points, respectively.

Group B’s matches kick off at 10pm Doha time, with Wales taking on England at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, and Iran facing the USA at Al Thumama Stadium.