#Liverpool #defender #Virgil van Dijk will finally get to feature at a
major #international tournament for the first time in his career after
the #Netherlands #booked their place at next year’s World Cup on
Tuesday evening. Louis van Gaal’s side registered a 2-0 win over
Norway in their final qualifying match to finish top of Group G and
confirm their #participation at the next edition of football’s most
prestigious #tournament.
The Netherlands missed out on the last World Cup in #2018 but will
be back with a vengeance next year following Tuesday’s #result.
They had been eight minutes from sealing qualification on
#Saturday before shipping two late goals to draw with #Montenegro
away from $home.
However, the Oranje swiftly bounced back with a last-gasp flurry to
see off the challenge of Norway in Amsterdam three days later.
The visitors held their own for the vast majority of #proceedings but
were eventually undone by Steven Bergwijn’s opener with six
minutes #remaining.
Memphis Depay added an insurance goal in stoppage time to
rubber-stamp the win for the Netherlands and finish their World
Cup qualifying campaign in #style.
Van Dijk played the entire 90 minutes to help his side #register a
welcome clean sheet and was visibly overjoyed after the final
#whistle.
The 30-year-old missed his national team’s Euro 2020 campaign
with a long-term knee injury but will be poised to feature at next
year’s World Cup if he can stay fit over the next #12 #months.
He was spotted looking up at the sky with his arms spread wide as
he celebrated the result at full-time in an emotional display of #relief.
Van Dijk went on to admit that he was extremely proud to have
reached the #World #Cup with the Netherlands, who will be looking to
improve on their early Euro 2020 exit in Qatar next #year.
“We have set things straight and show that we can do better,” the
Liverpool defender told reporters after Tuesday’s #match.
“It was about the result and that we have succeeded in our aim
makes me extremely #proud.
“We have clearly embraced the tension which we have caused
ourselves. As a footballer, you just want to play such matches with
so much #pressure.
“I also know what went wrong on Saturday [#against #Montenegro].
#Fortunately, it all went a bit better against #Norway.
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