Van Dijk Defends Young Teammate Hato After Red Card in Netherlands Match
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk defended teenage defender Jorrel Hato after his red card, saying it was a 'learning moment' and praising Hato's good intentions despite his mistake in the match against Spain.
Netherlands captain Virugeot Virgil van Dijk has come to the defense of his teammates Jorrel Hato and Bart Verbruggen, who made crucial mistakes during the UEFA Nations League quarter-final match against Spain. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, setting the stage for a thrilling second leg.
The mistakes proved costly for the Netherlands, as Hato's loss of possession allowed Spain to take the lead, while Verbruggen's mishandling of a shot from distance led to Spain's equalizer in injury time. Despite these errors, Van Dijk was quick to defend his teammates, saying, “Unfortunately, it (losing points) happens that way. Everyone can make mistakes at times. And it unfortunately happens at the end.”
Van Dijk continued to rally around his teammates, emphasizing that their mistakes were not intentional. “They are not deliberate mistakes,” he said, showing support for Hato and Verbruggen. The Netherlands captain's words of encouragement will likely be important in boosting team morale ahead of the second leg.
Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, who recently celebrated his 18th birthday, was given a direct red card for a late challenge on Atletico Madrid defender Robin Le Normand. Despite this, Hato had earlier successfully neutralized fellow teenage star Lamine Yamal, limiting him to zero successful dribbles. However, Hato's mistake earlier in the game had handed Yamal an assist.
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk came to Hato's defense, explaining that the young defender's intentions were good. “I think Hato was trying to have a good approach there and wanted to play the ball to Cody (Gakpo),” Van Dijk said. “In the scramble, the ball falls to Yamal. In the end, the ball goes in.” Van Dijk acknowledged that Hato's mistake was unfortunate, but praised the team's overall response.
Van Dijk also reflected on Hato's red card, viewing it as a valuable learning experience for the young defender. “Of course that's unfortunate, but I think we recovered well after that and put up a good game. It's unfortunate that Hato picked up a red card. That's a learning moment,” Van Dijk said, showing support for his teammate.
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