Netherlands gun for top spot against hapless Tunisia
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HOUSTON, June 23 : The Netherlands complete their Group F campaign at the World Cup with a clash against a Tunisia side in disarray in Kansas City on Thursday, looking to cement top spot in the pool and manage several strikers carrying knocks.
Tunisia have already been eliminated after two heavy losses that have seen them concede nine goals and draft in coach Herve Renard mid-tournament, while the Netherlands romped to a 5-1 success over Sweden in their last fixture.
The Dutch top the Group F table on goals scored from Japan, with both teams garnering four points and a +4 goal-difference. Sweden have three points and Tunisia’s horror campaign sees them yet to get off the mark.
Netherlands are likely to welcome back midfielder Quinten Timber, who missed the win over Sweden with a concussion.
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BROBBEY AND DEPAY CARRYING KNOCKS
The form of striker Brian Brobbey, who scored twice in the last game, has covered for the fact that Memphis Depay is still working his way back to full fitness from a thigh problem.
Depay is the leading scorer for the Netherlands in international football with 52 goals and a key part of the Dutch side, but came off the bench in the first two Group F games.
Coach Ronald Koeman is keen to have him start, but Brobbey has proven an able deputy, though he is also carrying a slight hamstring problem.
If Brobbey is forced out and Depay not able to start, it would likely see Donyell Malen move to a central striking position and the electric Crysencio Summerville return to the starting line-up as a wide attacker, though he too received a blow to the head against the Swedes after coming off the bench.
“We have different types of attackers and can change them around where we think we need to. It gives us a lot of options,” Koeman said.
“The goals we made (against Sweden) will make opponents fear us. We have a lot of speed and quality when we go on the attack, which makes us incredibly dangerous.”
COULD BE RENARD’S LAST GAME IN CHARGE
Tunisia have conceded 14 goals in their last three games, including a 5-0 warm-up loss to Belgium and heavy defeats to Sweden (5-1) and Japan (4-0) in their World Cup fixtures.
They sacked coach Sabri Lamouchi after the Sweden defeat and rushed in Renard, but their systematic issues run deeper than who is in the dugout.
For a side that qualified with 28 points out of a possible 30 and no goals conceded in those 10 games, it has been a heavy fall from grace.
Renard suggested on Monday this would be his last game in charge of the side.
“I came for a mission related to the World Cup. I haven’t signed anything beyond that,” he was quoted by ESPN.
But a strong performance against the Dutch could change the thinking of everyone involved.
Source: Reuters
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