Koeman: The 4-0 win was good but there were some aspects that could have been better, Netherlands did not make the most of their chances

Sports 6:40am, 10 October 2025 115

In the European World Cup qualifiers held early this morning, the Netherlands defeated Malta 4-0 away from home. Dutch coach Koeman was interviewed after the game.

Despite the 4-goal win, some people still criticized the Dutch national team for not performing well enough. Koeman responded: "We won 4-0, so that's good. I'm not disappointed, but we did have some aspects that could have been better. I thought we started well, although we gave Malta a chance in the 3rd minute (Van Dijk's return pass error)."

Koeman then praised Timber, "He performed very well in organizing the offense, and successfully passed the ball to the midfield position several times, allowing us to find the right players. However, the opponent also started to press high, and we should have found a way to deal with it faster. At that time, our game rhythm dropped and we did not create offensive space for our teammates. Although the opponent often pressed blindly, Koeman also said: "There were many gaps in the game, but we did not make full use of them. However, we continued to go all out until the end of the game." Positive aspects, so I don't care too much about your opinions and criticisms. "

Koeman then talked about Malta's performance, "Malta dares to take risks, they are fast and have some good players. So we have to position ourselves well, and if we can't switch quickly, the opponent can become dangerous. They were certainly dangerous at certain points in the game, but their defense was almost completely wide open. In the previous home game against Malta (when the Netherlands won 8-0), we dealt with it more easily than tonight. "

Koeman finally talked about the cooperation between Dumfries and Frimpong on the right wing: "You have the right to be critical of this, but I can also have a different view, right? I thought Frimpong made a couple of good plays using his speed. Yes, I think that assist from Dumfries to Depay after Frimpong came off was a coincidence. "