Netherlands takes on Poland in the group fixture of UFEA Nations League 2020-21.
Timing: September 4, 2020 (4 AM Local)
Team Preview
The Netherlands hosts Poland in Amsterdam to kick start their UEFA Nations League campaign on Friday night. The Hosts would aim to start with a win under the 62-year-old manager Dwight Lodeweges who joined the national side after Ronald Koeman's departure. L. de Jong is also back in the side who netted a brace in the Europa League Final last month against Inter Milan. Netherland are drawn with Poland, Italy, and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Group 1 and the task is not easy to go forward in the league. Netherlands was the runner-up side in the inaugural season of Nations League, losing to Portugal in the final. The Holland recently participated in the qualification round for Euro 2020 and won six of their eight matches and finished second behind Germany in the respective group. Oranje has good numbers against Poland, losing just three games out of their previous 15 matches in all competitions and they’re also unbeaten from the last six contests.
Meanwhile, Poland who have already qualified for the next European Championships will give a tough time to the Netherlands in away fixture. They won eight of their 10 group matches in the European Qualifier and finished top in their respective group. Champions League top-scorer and winner Robert Lewandowski will be unavailable for the national side. The White and Reds would try to avoid the last season’s failure in 2020-21. In 2018-19, Jerzy Brzeczek's men lost two matches and played one draw of their four games in the Nations League. Their current form might give them a tag of underdogs but defeating Dwight Lodeweges’s side at home would be a difficult task for them. The victory in an away fixture can propel their chances ahead of the second clash with Bosnia-Herzegovina next week.
Team News & Lineups
Netherlands
Matthijs de Ligt is sidelined due to shoulder surgery. Daley Blind, Davy Propper, and Tonny Vilhena will not be available for this game. Donny van de Beek is expected to start on the bench.
Lineup: Cillessen; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake; De Roon, F. de Jong; Babel, Wijnaldum, Depay; L. de Jong
Current form: W W W W D W
Poland
Robert Lewandowski will be a big miss for Poland due to his last busy schedule for Bayern Munich. Mateusz Klich and Arkadiusz Milik are both expected to sit the bench.
Lineup: Szczesny; Bereszynski, Glik, Bednarek, Karbownik; Goralski, Krychowiak; Szymanski, Zielinski, Grosicki; Piatek
Current form: L D W W W W
Key Players
Netherlands
L. de Jong – 3 goals in Europa League 2019-20
Virgil Van Dijk – 5 goals in Premier League 2019-20
Poland
Krzysztof Piatek – 4 goals in Euro 2020 Qualifying
Kamil Grosick – 1 goal & 3 assists in Euro 2020 Qualifying
