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A press conference involving Ireland ahead of its match against Israel was abruptly ended after an accusation was made. No further details were provided about the accusation or the circumstances of the termination.
11 sources
The Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 in Eindhoven in the Nations League, ending Xavi Hernández’s first international window as national coach unbeaten. Joshua Zirkzee scored the winning goal after coming on as a substitute. The result was the Netherlands’ second win over Serbia in a week and leaves the team on eight points from four matches; Germany and Greece drew 0-0 in the other match. Captain Virgil van Dijk played his 100th international, becoming the 11th Dutch player to reach that mark, and was honoured after the match. Denzel Dumfries made his 80th appearance. Teun Koopmeiners started alongside Van Dijk in central defence, while goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made several saves, according to a single report. Xavi said the team had struggled to impose its possession-based approach but had shown a desire to win.
1 source
Mark van Bommel is set to coach Belgium for the final time of his first international season in a match against France. Live coverage is scheduled to begin at 8:45.
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In the football podcast Kick-off, Valentijn Driessen, Mike Verweij, Pim Sedee and Hein Keijser discussed the Dutch national team’s performances in the Nations League. The team was reported to be top of its group but had not yet convinced under Xavi. The discussion included the fragile defence, Virgil van Dijk’s position, whether the coach should make difficult choices, and the balance between tactical instruction and spontaneity. An unnamed player was also described as the standout surprise of the current squad. The podcast also addressed the busy fixture schedule, injuries, the prospects of the Dutch under-21 team and the return of the Eredivisie. Driessen opposed Jürgen Klopp’s reported use of the Nations League as a stage for experimentation, arguing that the competition was not intended for that purpose.
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Belgium reportedly beat Turkey 3-0 in a Nations League match, with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku playing a prominent role. The account said new coach Mark van Bommel continued to value the two experienced players, alongside attention to younger talents such as Mika Godts and Roméo Lavia.