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World Cup 2022: Netherlands 2-0 Qatar: Gakpo and De Jong score to ensure top spot

By Shamoon HafezBBC Sport at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor

Last updated on .From the section World Cup comments 323

In-form Cody Gakpo scored again as the Netherlands finished top of Group A, ending Qatar's miserable involvement at their home World Cup with a third consecutive defeat.

Qatar's dismal showing means they became the first host nation to exit the tournament with three group-stage losses, finishing bottom with no points.

The Dutch, who failed to qualify four years ago, progress to the last 16 with an unbeaten record and face the United States next.

African champions Senegal beat Ecuador to clinch second place and will come up against England.

PSV Eindhoven winger Gakpo has now scored the opening goal in all three of the Netherlands' group games, driving forward and rasping a finish into the bottom corner on this occasion.

Qatar looked to hit back immediately but Ismaeel Mohammad's shot on the stretch from outside the area was straight at Andries Noppert.

But Louis van Gaal's men scored at the start of the second half to quash any Qatari hopes of a comeback as Frenkie de Jong poked into a open net after Memphis Depay's shot was saved.

The Dutch could have won by more, as Steven Berghuis had a goal ruled out and also hit the crossbar.

Gakpo going places

Three-time finalists the Netherlands watched on from home four years ago but are making up for lost time by reminding people of their qualities.

The spine running through their side is a formidable one, marshalled at the back by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk - their captain - pass master De Jong in the centre of the park and cool finisher Gakpo up top.

And the 23-year-old PSV player's stock continues to rise after finishing off a team move from Davy Klaassen's lay-off to become the first Dutch player to net in his first three World Cup games.

Gakpo has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United and his price tag will be sure to increase with each impressive performance on the global stage.

For club and country, he continues a remarkable season and has now been involved in 35 goals in 29 games - netting on 17 occasions and providing 18 assists.

With a group of boisterous Qatar fans behind the goal looking to rouse their team in the second half, De Jong - who himself could have moved to Old Trafford last summer - shattered any expectations by poking in his first World Cup goal on 49 minutes.

It could have been worse for the hosts but Berghuis had a goal disallowed for handball by Gakpo in the build-up and the substitute's curling effort struck the bar on a very comfortable evening for the Dutch.

Qatar had actually started the brighter, as captain Hassan Al-Haydos' long-range strike was gathered by Noppert, while Pedro Miguel volleyed over from a corner.

As well as three consecutive defeats in their first World Cup, Qatar also conceded seven goals, the most by a host nation in the group stages.

With the number of teams increasing from 32 to 48 for the next finals in 2026, Qatar can put this wretched campaign behind them and look forward to trying to qualify in their own right in four years' time.

Player of the match

KlaassenDavy Klaassen

with an average of 7.01

Netherlands

  1. Squad number14Player nameKlaassen
    Average rating

    7.01

  2. Squad number22Player nameDumfries
    Average rating

    6.85

  3. Squad number21Player nameF de Jong
    Average rating

    6.85

  4. Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
    Average rating

    6.79

  5. Squad number10Player nameDepay
    Average rating

    6.73

  6. Squad number8Player nameGakpo
    Average rating

    6.60

  7. Squad number18Player nameJanssen
    Average rating

    6.57

  8. Squad number24Player nameTaylor
    Average rating

    6.51

  9. Squad number11Player nameBerghuis
    Average rating

    6.50

  10. Squad number2Player nameTimber
    Average rating

    6.47

  11. Squad number5Player nameAké
    Average rating

    6.42

  12. Squad number17Player nameBlind
    Average rating

    6.34

  13. Squad number15Player namede Roon
    Average rating

    6.31

  14. Squad number19Player nameWeghorst
    Average rating

    6.31

  15. Squad number23Player nameNoppert
    Average rating

    6.29

  16. Squad number20Player nameKoopmeiners
    Average rating

    6.08

Qatar

  1. Squad number11Player nameAkram Afif
    Average rating

    5.13

  2. Squad number8Player nameAli Asad
    Average rating

    4.86

  3. Squad number23Player nameAssim Madibo
    Average rating

    4.69

  4. Squad number6Player nameAbdulaziz Hatem
    Average rating

    4.66

  5. Squad number16Player nameKhoukhi
    Average rating

    4.66

  6. Squad number10Player nameHassan Al Haydos
    Average rating

    4.63

  7. Squad number12Player nameBoudiaf
    Average rating

    4.63

  8. Squad number19Player nameAlmoez Ali
    Average rating

    4.62

  9. Squad number2Player namePedro Miguel
    Average rating

    4.61

  10. Squad number14Player nameHomam Ahmed
    Average rating

    4.57

  11. Squad number17Player nameIsmaeel Mohammad
    Average rating

    4.54

  12. Squad number3Player nameAbdelkarim Hassan
    Average rating

    4.54

  13. Squad number9Player nameMuntari
    Average rating

    4.51

  14. Squad number22Player nameMeshaal Barsham
    Average rating

    4.48

  15. Squad number7Player nameAhmed Alaa
    Average rating

    4.35

  16. Squad number13Player nameMusaab Khidir
    Average rating

    4.24

Line-ups

Netherlands

Formation 3-4-1-2

  • 23Noppert
  • 2Timber
  • 4van Dijk
  • 5AkéBooked at 52mins
  • 22Dumfries
  • 15de Roon Substituted forKoopmeinersat 83'minutes
  • 21F de Jong Substituted forTaylorat 86'minutes
  • 17Blind
  • 14Klaassen Substituted forBerghuisat 66'minutes
  • 8Gakpo Substituted forWeghorstat 83'minutes
  • 10Depay Substituted forJanssenat 66'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Pasveer
  • 3de Ligt
  • 6de Vrij
  • 7Bergwijn
  • 9L de Jong
  • 11Berghuis
  • 12Lang
  • 13Bijlow
  • 16Malacia
  • 18Janssen
  • 19Weghorst
  • 20Koopmeiners
  • 24Taylor
  • 25Simons
  • 26Frimpong

Qatar

Formation 5-3-2

  • 22Barsham
  • 17Mohammad Substituted forDjebril Mohamedat 85'minutes
  • 2Carvalho Deus Correia
  • 16Khoukhi
  • 3Al Haj Fadlalla
  • 14Ahmed
  • 10Al Haydos Substituted forThaimn Qambarat 64'minutes
  • 23Al Haj Madibo Substituted forBoudiafat 64'minutes
  • 6Mohammed Abdullah Substituted forAbdelmotaalat 85'minutes
  • 19Abdulla Substituted forMuntariat 64'minutes
  • 11Afif

Substitutes

  • 1Al Sheeb
  • 4Jadoua Al Bayati
  • 5Odeh
  • 7Abdelmotaal
  • 8Thaimn Qambar
  • 9Muntari
  • 12Boudiaf
  • 13Djebril Mohamed
  • 18Mazeed
  • 20Al Hajri
  • 21Ali
  • 24Al Hadhrami
  • 25Abdulsallam
  • 26Meshaal
Referee:
Bakary Gassama
Attendance:
66,784

Match Stats

Home TeamNetherlandsAway TeamQatar
Possession
Home63%
Away37%
Shots
Home13
Away5
Shots on Target
Home4
Away3
Corners
Home4
Away2
Fouls
Home19
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Netherlands 2, Qatar 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Netherlands 2, Qatar 0.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Wout Weghorst (Netherlands).

  4. Post update

    Musaab Khidir (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Steven Berghuis (Netherlands) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Wout Weghorst.

  6. Post update

    Foul by Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands).

  7. Post update

    Akram Afif (Qatar) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands).

  9. Post update

    Mohammed Muntari (Qatar) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Pedro Miguel (Qatar) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Akram Afif.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Wout Weghorst (Netherlands).

  12. Post update

    Abdelkarim Hassan (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands. Kenneth Taylor replaces Frenkie de Jong.

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, Qatar. Musaab Khidir replaces Ismaeel Mohammad.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Qatar. Ahmed Alaa replaces Abdulaziz Hatem.

  16. Post update

    Offside, Netherlands. Teun Koopmeiners tries a through ball, but Wout Weghorst is caught offside.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands. Teun Koopmeiners replaces Marten de Roon.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands. Wout Weghorst replaces Cody Gakpo.

  19. Post update

    Daley Blind (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Mohammed Muntari (Qatar).

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Comments

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323 comments

  • Comment posted by Chesse, at 17:10 29 Nov 2022

    I can only imagine Qatar will be much better next time. After all, every one of their players will have their own stadium to practice in.

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, at 17:42 29 Nov 2022

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      They should have spread the World Cup to other countries not just have eight stadiums in one country within a twenty miles radius

  • Comment posted by BBC Tory Arse-Lickers, at 17:18 29 Nov 2022

    Good Riddance Qatar, and your forty-five minute fans.

    • Reply posted by Rok90, at 17:29 29 Nov 2022

      Rok90 replied:
      Don’t be jealous because they are so rich

  • Comment posted by Sedgley Wolf, at 17:17 29 Nov 2022

    It's a pity FIFA didn't somehow manage to squeeze scotland into this group so Qatar could have at least had one win

    • Reply posted by Blue Billion Pound Bottle Jobs, at 17:46 29 Nov 2022

      Blue Billion Pound Bottle Jobs replied:
      😂😂😂

  • Comment posted by Blue Billion Pound Bottle Jobs, at 16:57 29 Nov 2022

    Qatar will have the distinction of ‘worst performance by a host country at the world cup’ for a long, long time, if not ever.

    • Reply posted by The Spin Doctor, at 16:59 29 Nov 2022

      The Spin Doctor replied:
      Hopefully this will make ‘some’ countries think twice before they apply to hold the WC. Do they really want to be humiliated in front of the entire sporting world?

  • Comment posted by Jimothy Taverns, at 17:28 29 Nov 2022

    Can't fault the Qatar fans leaving once it was a foregone conclusion.
    You've got to get to the pub before it gets four deep at the bar.

    • Reply posted by metallhd, at 21:05 29 Nov 2022

      metallhd replied:
      Congratulations on the most ignorant post in the thread, as if Budweiser literally keeping a warehouse full of beer on ice, and daily notices about utterly rigid rules mostly aimed at abolishing alcohol consumption altogether weren't enough to persuade people to sneak a bottle back to the hotel and stay there, instead of being deported or flogged. Ahem.

  • Comment posted by PFD, at 17:08 29 Nov 2022

    Good riddance to Qatar, in all the years I have watched World Cups i cant remember a host nation so poor or their supporters so unanimated and not interested in the football.

    • Reply posted by Get the miles in, at 17:41 29 Nov 2022

      Get the miles in replied:
      Perhaps mediocre sports do not appeal to the fans.
      Not everyone gets their day in watching telly.

  • Comment posted by thisislunacy98, at 17:39 29 Nov 2022

    48 teams next time !! Blimey, even Swindon Town might qualify !!!

    • Reply posted by Footy_fan, at 17:43 29 Nov 2022

      Footy_fan replied:
      Scotland won’t though….make it a 96 team World Cup then they may sneak in

  • Comment posted by bbc for free, at 17:28 29 Nov 2022

    Qatar will be remembered for blatter and brown envelopes ,fifa disgusts true football fans with its corruption

    • Reply posted by Hank Scorpio, at 18:02 29 Nov 2022

      Hank Scorpio replied:
      Russia, then Qatar, what are the chances some unforseen dystopia takes hold in either Canada, Mexico or the US in the next four years? Then 4 years after that the Saudi's want to host it. After that Afghanistan or North Korea?

  • Comment posted by PFD, at 17:27 29 Nov 2022

    Fast forward 4 years and those expensive stadiums will be no more. What a fantastic WC legacy Qatar will be remembered for.

    • Reply posted by Hank Scorpio, at 17:55 29 Nov 2022

      Hank Scorpio replied:
      The first "sustainable" world cup. Where 8 huge stadiums were built and will barely be used again. Where the pitch is air conditioned and fans have to fly in for games from neighbouring states after already flying from their own countries. WC's should be spread around but not when new stadia have to be built that won't be used again.

  • Comment posted by Navers, at 17:00 29 Nov 2022

    So long, Qatar. You will not be missed whatsoever. How you were the AFC Asian Cup champions (including beating both South Korea and Japan), I will never know. Worst performing hosts in World Cup history, that says something.

    • Reply posted by RR, at 17:01 29 Nov 2022

      RR replied:
      To be fair that AFC Asian cup was nearly four years ago and football can change a lot in that time

  • Comment posted by Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd, at 16:58 29 Nov 2022

    Did the Netherlands even need to get out of first gear to win this one? It sure felt that they didn’t have to.

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, at 17:04 29 Nov 2022

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      Shame that Qatar and Equator are out of the World Cup

  • Comment posted by craigneo, at 17:18 29 Nov 2022

    Empty seats and worst world cup ever.

    • Reply posted by Footy_fan, at 17:23 29 Nov 2022

      Footy_fan replied:
      How is it the worst? In footballing terms, there is enough excitement on the field with some closely fought games

  • Comment posted by Lets Agree To Disagree, at 16:57 29 Nov 2022

    When this tournament is said and done, it will prove that not every country can be in a position to hold the World Cup, whether due to human rights controversies, match calendar or simply that country is not good enough football skill wise.
    Then again money is so powerful.

    • Reply posted by D1703156131483, at 17:04 29 Nov 2022

      D1703156131483 replied:
      Every country has a Human Rights problem including UK. Not the just the world.

  • Comment posted by Dutch delight, at 18:05 29 Nov 2022

    I am glad all the comments are about Qatar, as the Dutch played again a terrible game. They were lucky to be in the weakest group..

    • Reply posted by Idunno, at 22:24 29 Nov 2022

      Idunno replied:
      Totally agree, I switched over at half time to watch a proper game between Senegal and Ecuador. For a while I thought I was watching a poorer version of the England v USA. Looks like the Americans have got a bye for the next round.

  • Comment posted by Dalemb1979, at 17:36 29 Nov 2022

    I fear for the tournament now Qatar are out, there staunch, loyal supporters, who stayed to the end to support them will leave many of the stadia empty now........ 😂🤣😂

  • Comment posted by Finkelstein, at 17:29 29 Nov 2022

    Well done Netherlands and Senegal on qualification.

    Congratulations to Qatar on played three and lost three and the distinction of worst performing host country. Couldn't not happen to a nicer regime.

  • Comment posted by Budgie, at 16:58 29 Nov 2022

    Glad Qatar are out only because their captain reminds me of Bruno Fernandes.

    One Bruno Fernandes is too much to take as it is!

    • Reply posted by The Spin Doctor, at 17:00 29 Nov 2022

      The Spin Doctor replied:
      Bet Bruno Fernandes regularly visits you in your nightly dreams. 😉

  • Comment posted by In My Eyes, at 17:49 29 Nov 2022

    Nothing special about the Dutch either- can't see them going further than the next round

  • Comment posted by Finkelstein, at 17:40 29 Nov 2022

    Well done Netherlands. I must say the ITV presenter Laura Woods makes all other presenters look bang average. She has poise, knowledge, speaks with superb grammar. Her human 'touch' to pundit Nadia Nadim who is and Afghan Refugee and Danish Footballer was very touching. Logan, Scott et al at the BBC could learn so much fro Woods who has class.

    • Reply posted by D1701972191160, at 17:44 29 Nov 2022

      D1701972191160 replied:
      class is class...crass is crass and you have a point...

  • Comment posted by D1697367905380, at 17:25 29 Nov 2022

    Gakpo will always be the one that got away at Leeds. Hilarious to think Radz still thinks he can sign him in the January transfer window and this is from a Leeds fan!

    Champions league football or slogging it out at the wrong of the PL. wonder which he will go for? Oh well we never sign anyone in January away🤷‍♂️

    • Reply posted by liverpool supporter right here, at 17:29 29 Nov 2022

      liverpool supporter right here replied:
      Leeds can still sign him. They just have to find another fifty million as his price has now doubled

As It Stood

A

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Netherlands 3 2 1 0 5 1 4 7
2 Senegal 3 2 0 1 5 4 1 6
3 Ecuador 3 1 1 1 4 3 1 4
4 Qatar 3 0 0 3 1 7 -6 0

B

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 England 3 2 1 0 9 2 7 7
2 USA 3 1 2 0 2 1 1 5
3 Iran 3 1 0 2 4 7 -3 3
4 Wales 3 0 1 2 1 6 -5 1

C

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Poland 2 1 1 0 2 0 2 4
2 Argentina 2 1 0 1 3 2 1 3
3 Saudi Arabia 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 3
4 Mexico 2 0 1 1 0 2 -2 1

D

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 France 2 2 0 0 6 2 4 6
2 Australia 2 1 0 1 2 4 -2 3
3 Denmark 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1
4 Tunisia 2 0 1 1 0 1 -1 1

E

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Spain 2 1 1 0 8 1 7 4
2 Japan 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
3 Costa Rica 2 1 0 1 1 7 -6 3
4 Germany 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 1

F

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Croatia 2 1 1 0 4 1 3 4
2 Morocco 2 1 1 0 2 0 2 4
3 Belgium 2 1 0 1 1 2 -1 3
4 Canada 2 0 0 2 1 5 -4 0

G

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Brazil 2 2 0 0 3 0 3 6
2 Switzerland 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3
3 Cameroon 2 0 1 1 3 4 -1 1
4 Serbia 2 0 1 1 3 5 -2 1

H

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Portugal 2 2 0 0 5 2 3 6
2 Ghana 2 1 0 1 5 5 0 3
3 South Korea 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 1
4 Uruguay 2 0 1 1 0 2 -2 1
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