Belgium 1-4 Netherlands: Player Ratings as Oranje crush Belgium in Nations League opener

Netherlands crushed Belgium in their opening Group D clash.

Netherland defeated Belgium 4-1 in their Nations League clash on Friday. A brilliant attacking performance was enough for the Oranje to beat Belgium in Brussels.

Depay gets another Netherlands brace! ⚽⚽

Netherlands started the game as the better side and managed to establish their control despite Belgium’s few chances early on.

A brilliant low-shot from Steven Bergwijn made it 1-0 for the Oranje four minutes before the half-time whistle. The Tottenham star unleashed an unstoppable shot from behind the box to put Louis van Gaal’s side ahead.

Netherlands started the second half on fire as they immediately started attacking Belgium from both flanks. Memphis Depay doubled Oranje’s lead in the 51st minute.

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Only ten minutes later, Denzel Dumfries converted Dani Blind’s cutback to score Netherlands’ third goal of the night. Belgium’s backline looked completely shattered after the third goal.

The Dutch players used the opportunity to put another one behind Belgium’s net only four minutes after Dumfries’ strike. Another Blind assist found Depay, who completed his brace by calmly converting a one-on-one situation against Simon Mignolet.

Belgium did their best to get back into the game. But they could only score a late goal through Michy Batshuayi before accepting the defeat.

Player Ratings

Belgium: Mignolet (4), Alderweireld (6), Boyata (5), Vertonghen (5), Meunier (5), Witsel (6), De Bruyne (7), Castagne (7), Vanaken (6), Lukaku (5), E Hazard (6).

Bench: Carrasco (7), Onana (6), Batshuayi (7), Mertens (7), Trossard (6).

Netherlands: Cillessen (7), Dumfries (8), Blind (8), Timber (6), Ake (7), Van Dijk (7), De Jong (8), Berghuis (7), Klaassen (6), Depay (9), Bergwijn (7).

Bench: De Ligt (5), Koopmeiners (6).