The Netherlands finished top of World Cup Group F after defeating Tunisia 3-1 in Kansas City, securing a Round of 32 meeting with Morocco in Monterrey on Monday, Softfootball reports
Ronald Koeman’s side avoided a difficult knockout tie against Brazil after collecting seven points from three group matches. The Dutch made a fast start as Tunisia’s Ellyes Skhiri turned Denzel Dumfries’ cross into his own net in the third minute to hand the Netherlands the lead.
Just four minutes later, Brian Brobbey doubled the advantage after Virgil van Dijk headed the ball across goal from a Tijjani Reijnders free kick, allowing the Sunderland forward to finish from close range.
Tunisia struggled to contain the Netherlands’ attacking pressure but improved after the break, pulling one goal back to give themselves hope. However, the Dutch restored their two-goal cushion when Jan Paul van Hecke scored a header shortly after the hour mark.
The victory confirmed the Netherlands as Group F winners with seven points, ahead of Japan, who secured second place after a 1-1 draw against Sweden. Sweden also progressed as one of the best third-placed teams, while Tunisia ended their campaign without a point.
The Netherlands dominated possession and controlled the match with their passing quality, completing 600 accurate passes compared to Tunisia’s 199. They now prepare for a knockout clash against Morocco.
Player Ratings
Tunisia
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Aymen Dahmen | 6.4 |
| Yan Valery | 6.2 |
| Montassar Talbi | 5.5 |
| Mohamed Amine Ben Hmida | 5.0 |
| Ali Abdi | 6.2 |
| Ellyes Skhiri | 6.5 |
| Rani Khedira | 5.9 |
| Anis Ben Slimane | 6.5 |
| Hannibal Mejbri | 7.5 |
| Ismaël Gharbi | 6.5 |
| Hazem Mastouri | 8.0 |
Netherlands
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Bart Verbruggen | 6.2 |
| Denzel Dumfries | 7.2 |
| Jan Paul van Hecke | 8.8 |
| Virgil van Dijk | 8.5 |
| Nathan Aké | 7.5 |
| Ryan Gravenberch | 6.6 |
| Frenkie de Jong | 7.2 |
| Tijjani Reijnders | 8.5 |
| Donyell Malen | 7.5 |
| Brian Brobbey | 8.0 |
| Cody Gakpo | 6.6 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Tunisia | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 28.5% | 71.5% |
| Shots | 10 | 20 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 7 |
| Big Chances Missed | 1 | 1 |
| Corners | 4 | 6 |
| Accurate Passes | 199 | 600 |
| Passing Accuracy | 77.4% | 92.7% |
| Yellow Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Shots Off Target | 5 | 8 |
| Fouls Conceded | 11 | 10 |
| Fouls Won | 9 | 11 |
