Spain Edges Netherlands in Thrilling Penalty Shootout
Spain defeated the Netherlands 5-4 in a penalty shootout, advancing to the Nations League semi-finals after a thrilling 5-5 aggregate draw.
Spain extended their unbeaten streak to 18 matches in thrilling fashion, defeating the Netherlands 5-4 in a penalty shootout at the Mestalla to advance to the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League semi-finals. The match was a culmination of a captivating quarter-final tie, which ended 5-5 on aggregate. The Netherlands' evening got off to a disastrous start when Jan Paul van Hecke conceded a penalty in the sixth minute, wrestling Mikel Oyarzabal to the ground.
UEFA Euro 2024 final hero Mikel Oyarzabal took the penalty himself and confidently slotted it into the bottom-right corner, with Bart Verbruggen's outstretched fingertips barely grazing the ball. This goal brought Oyarzabal's international tally to 14. He nearly doubled Spain's lead shortly after, unleashing a stunning finish into the opposite corner, only to be denied by the offside flag, which correctly deemed him a fraction too early to receive Lamine Yamal's through-ball.
The offside flag again came to the rescue, this time nullifying a fantastic save by Verbruggen. Oyarzabal, once more deemed offside, had put Nico Williams through on goal, prompting Verbruggen to make a crucial one-on-one stop. Following this, the Netherlands regained composure and remained in the game until halftime. Early in the second half, both Oscar Mingueza and Justin Kluivert squandered opportunities at opposite ends before the Dutch equalized from the penalty spot.
Robin Le Normand's foul on Memphis Depay inside the box led to another penalty, and Depay took it himself, celebrating his 100th senior cap in style. He blasted the ball into the top-left corner, leaving Unai Simon wrong-footed and helpless.
Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal had opportunities to restore Spain's lead around the hour mark, but Bart Verbruggen made crucial saves to deny them. However, Williams played a pivotal role in Spain's second goal on 67 minutes. He received the ball on the counter-attack, following Ian Maatsen's mistake deep in Spanish territory, and managed to cut it back for the unmarked Mikel Oyarzabal. Verbruggen made an incredible one-handed save, but Oyarzabal headed home the rebound.
The Netherlands desperately needed a savior, and Maatsen made amends in the 78th minute. He received a pass from Xavi Simons deep in the box and unleashed a powerful shot into the far corner. With no further goals in regular time, the match headed into extra time. The Dutch players were visibly tiring, and Spain's relentless passing game began to take its toll.
In the 103rd minute, Spain finally took the lead for the third time. A classic tiki-taka sequence in midfield culminated in a long ball to the right flank, where Yamal controlled it. The Barcelona product beat his marker and launched a powerful shot into the far-left corner, past Verbruggen. This beautifully crafted goal, reminiscent of Barcelona's signature style, left Ronald Koeman stunned in the visitors' dugout.
However, the Netherlands equalized once more, this time from the penalty spot. A failed clearance in the Spanish box led to Unai Simon fouling Xavi Simons, resulting in a clear penalty. The Dutch capitalized on this opportunity, sending the match to a penalty shootout.
The penalty was expertly taken, with the taker finding the bottom-right corner despite Unai Simon guessing correctly. This proved to be valuable practice, as the match ultimately headed to a penalty shootout, much to the anticipation of the Mestalla crowd.
In the shootout, Noa Lang struck the woodwork, and Lamine Yamal's effort was blocked down the middle. Otherwise, the first five penalties from each team were executed flawlessly. The decisive moment arrived when Donyell Malen missed the first sudden-death penalty. Pedri seized the opportunity, blasting the ball into the top-right corner to send Spain through to the semi-finals, where they will face France.
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