The Netherlands will be hoping to kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign at the second attempt when they welcome home Latvia. The match schedules for Saturday at Johan Cruijff Arena for their second match in Group G with kickoff at 8 pm.
Frank de Boer’s men had to fight off till the end against Turkey in a six-goal thriller on Wednesday, as Latvia were no match for Montenegro in their inaugural qualification match.
35-year-old Burak Yilmaz proved that class is permanent on the world stage, with a perfect hat-trick to settle off the game in a 4-2 win over the Netherlands in the qualification’s opening game.
Hakan Calhanoglu released one of his trademark long-range goals forcing the Netherlands to respond with Davy Klaasen and Franki De Jong. After Memphis Depay missed a penalty, the side is currently fifth on the first match rankings.
Despite their opening day defeat, De Boer’s felt no pain with only two wins in their last eight games in all competitions. This match presents the perfect opportunity to come back with another defeat, spelling doom for their top-spot prospects.
Latvia miraculously managed to go five matches unbeaten, but the caliber is high with their opponents, especially after their recent visits to Andorra and San Marino. Also, their opponents thrived in their last three outings – with a clean sheet each time.
Netherlands vs. Latvia Head to Head
Both sides have three matches against each other, with the Netherlands taking three wins while Latvia without a win. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
Turkey 4-2 Netherlands
Poland 1-2 Netherlands
Netherlands 3-1 Bosnia
Netherlands 1-1 Spain
Italy 1-1 Netherlands
Away
Latvia 1-2 Montenegro
Andorra 0-5 Latvia
Latvia 1-1 Faroe Islands
San Marino 0-3 Latvia
Latvia 0-1 Malta
Netherlands Team News
Tim Krul looks likely to get the nod between the sticks despite shipping four goals with Jasper Cillessen injured during the warm-up. Denzel Dumfries presents an option at right back for De Boer. Donyell Malen might get the call up-top to push Memphis Depay out wide with De Jong and De Roon operating the engine room.
Latvia Team News
Defender Elvis Stuglis forced off the squad before the Montenegro clash due to health problems and remains unavailable. Other injuries at the camp include Kaspars Dubra and Vladislav’s Gutkovskis with injuries.
Prediction and Odds
Latvia will be keen on exploiting their defensive frailties, while the Netherlands keen on making it a shock comeback.
Netherlands Win
Goals Over 2.5
No Score: Away Team
