Netherlands 0-0 Croatia LIVE: Nathan Ake starts for Oranje after Champions League triumph against Luka Modric and co in Nations League semi-finals
International football takes full focus this evening as the Netherlands take on Croatia for a spot in the 2023 UEFA Nations League final.
The Oranje were successful the last time they reached this stage of the competition in 2019 after a 3-1 win over England in extra-time.
But the Dutch fell short in the final and haven't come close to silverware since after failing to qualify for Euro 2020.
The Netherlands then had a mixed World Cup after they crashed out on penalties to eventual winners Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Croatia also saw their dreams of glory in Qatar ended by the La Albiceleste but are no strangers from upsetting the big nations.
- Netherlands XI: Bijlow, Aké, Van Dijk, Geertruida, Dumfries, De Jong, Koopmeiners, Wieffer, Simons, Gakpo, Malen
- Croatia XI: Livakovic, Perisic, Vida, Sutalo, Juranovic, Kovacic, Brozovic, Modric, Ivanusec, Kramaric, Pasalic
Follow our live match blog below for regular updates…
Netherlands 0-0 Croatia
12′ – The Dutch pressure is starting to build now!
An attack comes down the left flank this time and Simons has the time and space to get his head up and whip over a cross but again Sutalo is the man to clear for the visitors.
Netherlands 0-0 Croatia CHANCE
10′ – Gakpo drops deep in a role he’s learnt at Liverpool and his reverse pass around the corner releases Malen but his early cross is turned behind by Sutalo.
The corner is taken towards the near post and attacked by Wieffer – it strikes Kovacic from close range and there’s a brief shout for a penalty but nothing given!
Netherlands 0-0 Croatia
8′ – The Dutch in front of their home crowd were understandably favourites coming into this one but it’s the visitors who have started the more comfortably!
Netherlands 0-0 Croatia
6′ – Croatia threaten briefly on the counter-attack with Brozovic picking up possession in space on the half turn inside the Dutch half.
He attempts to pick out the run of Kramaric in behind but it’s well watched and cut out by Geertruida.
Netherlands 0-0 Croatia
4′ – Van Dijk concedes an early corner which is taken short to Modric.
The Real Madrid star attempts to slip a reverse pass to the byline for teammate and Chelsea midfielder Kovacic but Liverpool forward Gakpo muscles him off the ball and out of play.
Netherlands 0-0 Croatia2′ – Van Dijk steps out into midfield from a long goal kick and attempts to win the ball on the bounce but only succeeds in catching Kramaric.The latter makes a meal of it thought and the Liverpool defender has a talking to with the referee.
Netherlands 0-0 Croatia
1′ – The Dutch get us underway in front of a raucous home crowd!
A place in the Nations League final up for grabs…
Netherlands vs CroatiaThe teams are both out with Van Dijk leading the hosts.He last came up against Croatian captain Modric in last season’s Champions League, in which Real Madrid beat Liverpool 6-2 on aggregate.
Netherlands vs Croatia
All smiles between the two sets of supporters with kick-off approaching fast!
Netherlands vs Croatia
More from Van Dijk: “It can be difficult finding the energy at the end of the season but in our case, almost 10 of our squad have already experienced a Nations League final and want to win it.
Having lost 1-0 to Portugal in the first Nations League final in 2019, the Liverpool defender said: “We didn’t feel like we were playing for a cup then.
“Now it is more real, which may make the energy easier to create. In terms of the level at training, it has been very high in recent days.
“After losing the final against Portugal, we realised that we should have handled it better. It was the first edition, we didn’t really know how or what. Now the feeling is definitely there. We’d like to win the prize although Croatia is a tough team to beat.”
Netherlands vs Croatia
Van Dijk may be on international duty but he still has one eye on Liverpool’s transfer activity after hailing the arrival of Alexis MacAllister.
“I think [Mac Allister] is a very good player, obviously we have played against him many times [with Liverpool] and also with Holland against Argentina,” Van Dijk said in his press conference.
“I think he will definitely be a big addition and something that we need, you know, in order to be back where we want to be.
“So it’s a good start to the transfer window and hopefully we get a couple of more quality additions. But he is definitely one of the players that can make a difference for us in the next couple of years.”
Netherlands vs Croatia
Van Dijk is leading Oranje out for the pre-match warmups!
The Liverpool defender is bidding to win his first piece of silverware with his country.
Netherlands vs Croatia
Here’s how both teams path to glory looks like…
- Semi-finals: Wednesday 14 June: Netherlands vs Croatia (Stadion Feijenoord)
- Thursday 15 June: Spain vs Italy (FC Twente Stadion)
- Third place: Sunday 18 June: Netherlands/Croatia vs Spain/Italy (FC Twente Stadion)
- Final: Sunday 18 June: Netherlands/Croatia vs Spain/Italy (Stadion Feijenoord)
Netherlands vs Croatia
“We can win a trophy in our own country,” Koeman told his pre-match press conference.
“We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. There are four strong countries and there is little to choose between us.
“We have to be very good against a strong Croatian team. They have been playing in the same formation for years and they are winners.
“If we show strong mentality, we have a good chance. Every competition you can win, you give everything towards. If you don’t win it, players will think later: ‘it was a great pity that we didn’t win’.”
Netherlands vs Croatia
Croatia coach Dalic: “We are up against perhaps the toughest opponents in the tournament.
“The stadium will be sold out, the Netherlands have a new head coach and they have a fantastic team, especially in defence.
“They are very strong and they have young, powerful players. I expect our supporters will also make themselves heard.”
Netherlands vs Croatia
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said: “It’s always tough against Croatia.
“They’re a really strong team and we’ll need to be at our best to reach the final. Croatia play at the highest level, they are physically tough and they have a real intensity about the team.
“We reached the final in 2019. We lost that, and now we have the opportunity at home to reach another final. Let’s hope that this time we win it.”
Netherlands vs Croatia: Team news
Netherlands XI: Justin Bijlow, Nathan Aké, Virgil van Dijk, Lutsharel Geertruida, Denzel Dumfries, Frenkie de Jong, Teun Koopmeiners, Mats Wieffer, Xavi Simons, Cody Gakpo, Donyell Malen
Croatia XI: Dominik Livakovic, Ivan Perisic, Domagoj Vida, Josip Sutalo, Josip Juranovic, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Luka Modric, Luka Ivanusec, Andrej Kramaric, Mario Pasalic
Netherlands vs Croatia: Team news
The visitors also have a Champions League finalist in their starting XI!
Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic joins Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic in the heart of the midfield.
Netherlands vs Croatia
Here’s how Dutch manager Ronald Koeman has lined his side up this evening!
Nathan Ake starts just days after the Champions League final…
Hello and welcome to talkSPORT.com’s live blog of tonight’s Nations League semi-final.
Netherlands take on Croatia for a spot in the 2023 UEFA Nations League final.
The Oranje were successful the last time they reached this stage of the competition in 2019 after a 3-1 win over England in extra-time.
But the Dutch fell short in the final and haven’t come close to silverware since after failing to qualify for Euro 2020.
The Netherlands then had a mixed World Cup after they crashed out on penalties to eventual winners Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Croatia also saw their dreams of glory in Qatar ended by the La Albiceleste but are no strangers from upsetting the big nations.
Zlatko Dalic’s side picked up four points from two games against defending Nations League champions France to progress to the last four.
