Trailblazing Wales can't quash the quality of Dutch stars
Passionate fans turned Lucerne red and orange as Wales were defeated 3-0 by the Netherlands in their Euros debut
It wasn’t to be a fairytale start to tournament life for Wales, as they were defeated 3-0 by The Netherlands in their opening game of Euro 2025.
A passionate rendition of “Hen Wald fy Nhadau” provided the perfect send-off for Wales before kick-off, but very quickly, Rhian Wilkinson’s side were given a scare. Jill Roord’s rasping shot stung the palms of Olivia Clark, but Wales’ number one palmed her strike away well.
You could excuse Cymru for perhaps being slightly overawed at the start of the game, but they grew into it pretty quickly. Esther Morgan executing an exquisite ‘Cruyff Turn’ on Vivianne Miedema was the perfect example of that.
At the other end of the pitch, however, Roord looked like a woman on a mission to score. Her powerful strike looked destined to nestle in the top corner, but instead, she saw the ball cannon back off the post.
Wales were doing a solid job containing the Dutch, who looked like they were out of ideas towards the end of the half. Yet, in first half stoppage time, the inevitable Vivianne Miedema delivered. Granted too much space on the edge of the box, the Manchester City star jinked onto her strong foot before finding the far corner.
She becomes the first Dutch player, ever, male or female, to score a century of goals for her nation. A real sucker punch for Wales, but for The Netherlands, a moment of relief at the interval.
If before the break Wales had been clipped on the chin, they received a full-blown punch to the face at the start of the second half. Victoria Pelova found the far corner to make it two, and minutes later, Roord hit the crossbar. Jackie Groenen was the next to rattle the bar, before Esmee Brugts added a deserved Dutch third.
Cymru did calm down and looked more structured in defence as the second half wore on, but the damage was already done. Wales failed to test Daphne van Domselaar, as they were well beaten in their first-ever game in a major tournament.
What defined Wales’ match?
Fragility. If you look at that first 45 minutes, Wales looked solid. Playing in a back three, they limited the capabilities of the Dutch. Granted, Roord did hit the post, but that was their only real highlight in a very slow half.
That was until Miedema scored her century. Yes, a great strike, but it could have been avoided if the defence had pressed her at the right time, which they had done successfully throughout the first period.
The opener was a blow, but what followed in those first ten minutes after the break was a real introduction to major tournament football. Goals for Pelova and Brugts, coupled with shots hitting the bar from Roord and Groenen, pretty much ended Wales’ hopes of getting anything from the match.
Normally, Wales are a team who are resolute and so hard to break down. But in their last Nations League game against Italy, Wales crumbled by conceding four in the first half, and there was a semblance of that crumbling again in Luzern.
What happens in the days leading up to the France game, on Wednesday, will test Wilkinson’s managerial credentials. Wales were expected to come bottom of the group, but she would not have liked how they felt apart so quickly.
What defined The Netherlands’ match?
Individual Brilliance. If we examine that first half from a Dutch perspective, although they were on top, they looked disjointed and lacking ideas.
Their best chances came through individuals trying their luck. Roord stung the palms of Clark before hitting the post with a sumptuous strike.
But their goal came through another bit of inspired play by Miedema. The way she created space, the way she kept the ball close to her, the way she found the far corner. It’s a goal that sums up what the WSL’s all-time top scorer is all about.
That goal before the break then allowed Andries Jonker’s team to play fluid football, which saw so many players in blue link up well together. There’s no doubting the quality of this Dutch side, but if they are to go far, they need to have a little less reliance on their star players to bail them out in key moments.
Something you might have missed
When you watch a game, it’s very easy to get transfixed on what’s going on in front of you. But in truth, the day was perfectly encapsulated by what went on in the buildup to kick-off in the fan zone, and on the fan walk to the Allmend Stadion.
The day started with the FAW handing out free bucket hats to members of the Red Wall, but as the countdown to kick-off continued, Luzern’s Europlatz became a vibrant mix of red and orange, which blended together beautifully.
DJs from both nations began filling the square with cultural anthems; from Dafydd Iwan’s “Yma o Hyd” to the always popular Dutch crowd-pleaser “Links Rechts”. Soon, Netherlands fans were wearing bucket hats and Wales fans were waving Oranje flags.
Opening day nerves are meant to be a thing. Naysayers will tell you to not feel confident and to not let enjoy yourselves too much. Thankfully, the Welsh and the Dutch always choose to ignore what the pessimists say.
Despite the result, this will be a day that Wales fans in particular will never forget. This is a day for the history books, and no one will be able to take that away from this team or their supporters.
What’s next?
It’s a short turnaround for both sides, as they will next be in action on Wednesday 9 July. Wales will take on France in St. Gallen, while The Netherlands face England in Zurich.
It was already a tough task for Wales, but with this result and Les Blues coming across the horizon, things will certainly not get any easier for them.
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