Netherlands Player Ratings vs Bosnia & Herzegovina: 9/10 for MOTM Depay; Wijnaldum, de Jong among players to get 8 or more

Memphis Depay was the Man of the Match as Netherlands secured a convincing 3-1 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday.

Netherlands secured their first victory under the leadership of Frank de Boer and also in the UEFA Nations League this term with a 3-1 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina on Sunday.

It was a brisk start for the home side, who looked rampant right from the beginning. They showed a lot of intent and were rewarded with an early goal through captain Georginio Wijnaldum in the sixth minute. The Liverpool midfielder doubled his tally moments later, latching onto another cross-field pass to provide further misery for Bosnia.

Netherlands could have easily added a third through Luuk de Jong had it not been for an incorrect offside decision by the linesman. But, Memphis Depay did eventually found the third, ten minutes into the second half. The Oranje did, however, have a nervy end to the proceedings as Bosnia rattled their defences and looked threatening following Smail Prevljak’s goal in the 63rd minute.

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Netherlands did eventually manage to hold on to their two-goal lead and here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over the Dutch players following their fairly convincing win over Bosnia this past weekend.

Tim Krul: 6/10

Krul did not have a lot to do, in truth, despite Bosnia’s late flurry that saw them push for the second goal during the final phase of the game. He made one easy save but could not have done anything to deny Smail Prevljak from scoring in the second half as it was a mere tap-in.

Denzel Dumfries: 7.5/10

Starting ahead of Hans Hateboer, Denzel Dumfries was a constant outlet for Netherlands with his forays down the flank. He simply bombarded Sead Kolasinac, also linking up well with his teammate and ending up bagging two assists. A fine performance from the attacking right-back.

Stefan de Vrij: 7/10

Stefan de Vrij was solid for the most part, keeping Armin Hodzic quiet with his ability to read the game. He was also very good in the build-up, though the Inter Milan defender did get rattled once or twice by substitute Prevljak. In fact, he could have done a bit better in marking the Bosnia forward for the goal.

Daley Blind: 7/10

Filling in for the injured duo of Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake, Daley Blind provided some much-needed cover to de Vrij. His understanding of the game was key in denying Bosnia any proper means of attack.

Owen Wijndal: 8/10

Much like Dumfries, Owen Wijndal was a menace for the Bosnia defenders due to his runs into the final third. But while his partner on the opposite flank lacked the defensive awareness, the 20-year-old provided tremendous cover for his centre-backs by keeping Edin Visca quiet.

Davy Klaassen: 7.5/10

With Wijnaldum often venturing forward, Davy Klaassen’s maturity in the game was critical in offering balance and stability in the Netherlands midfield. The Ajax star was also quite influential in the build-up play, easing the transition for his team.

Georginio Wijnaldum: 8.5/10

Wijnaldum led the team from the front, making a host of darting runs into the final third and establishing himself as a reliable passing option for the attackers. His understanding and combination play with the likes of Depay and de Jong were also impressive while the Dutchman showcased his experience by being in the right place at the right time to bag two goals.

Frenkie de Jong: 8.5/10

Frenkie de Jong showed just why he is one of the most promising midfielders in world football with yet another marvellous display in the middle of the park. The Barcelona whizkid provided remarkable ball-progression, notably playing a key role in the build-up to the second goal. His safe passing was one of many reasons why Netherlands dominated this game.

Steven Berghuis: 7.5/10

Steven Berghuis made the most out of his opportunity by proving himself to be a real menace for the Bosnian defence, especially with his darting runs in behind the backline. He notably provided the assist for the second goal and was not afraid of taking on defenders throughout the course of the game.

Luuk de Jong: 8/10

Luuk de Jong, as mentioned earlier, was unlucky to have his goal chalked off due to offside. Aside from that moment, however, the striker was fantastic in the final third, linking up well with his teammates and offering them additional space by making all kinds of clever runs in and around the penalty area.

Memphis Depay: 9/10

Depay was by far the best player in this fixture, taking on the Bosnian defence with his remarkable attacking prowess. The Lyon forward played a key role in the build-up to the first two goals, notably providing that flawless cross to Berghuis that led to the second strike. He then scored one himself in the second half with a relatively easy finish.

This performance should definitely help Depay, especially following a sub-par display in the friendly with Spain. It will be interesting to see how he performs against a much stronger Poland side, though.

SUBSTITUTES

Hans Hateboer: 6/10

Replaced Dumfries around the hour-mark to provide better defensive coverage, although the move did not really pay off for de Boer as the Atalanta man wasn’t particularly solid.

Donny van de Beek: 6.5/10

Offered a spark of creativity in the final third with all his flicks and tricks. However, the end product was missing from the Manchester United star, who has had a disappointing season overall.

Quincy Promes: N/A

Replaced Depay with just ten minutes remaining on the clock. Was involved in one excellent chance, but did not play enough to warrant a rating.

Patrick van Aanholt: N/A

A late replacement for Wijndal. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.

Calvin Stengs: N/A

A late replacement for Berghuis. Showed quick-feet but did not play enough to warrant a rating.