Both teams are aiming to reach the quarter-finals. Although the Netherlands are the odds-on favourites, a Romanian surprise cannot be ruled out.
Romania will be looking to end the Netherlands’ historic dominance tonight as the two teams meet at the Munich Football Arena in the final match of the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16.
The Dutch have won ten of their 14 games against Romania, scoring 29 goals, but it is their opponents who go into this match as group winners, while the Oranje qualified as the best third-placed side. Romania finished top of Group E thanks mainly to their 3-0 win over Ukraine in Munich in their opening game. They then lost 2-0 to Belgium, but finished top after a 1-1 draw with Slovakia, with all four teams in the group finishing on four points, a first in EURO history.
The Netherlands looked set to make a strong start after their 2-1 comeback win over Poland on the opening day of Group D. They were then held to a goalless draw by France before losing 3-2 to Austria, which allowed their tormentors to take the lead in the standings and relegated them to third place behind Les Bleus. Less experienced than their opponents tonight, Romania are taking part in their sixth finals, the second in three editions. Their best performance came in 2000, when they lost 2-0 to eventual finalists Italy in the quarter-finals after coming through a group that included Portugal, England and Germany.
The opening day victory over Ukraine at EURO 2024 is only Romania’s second in a European Championship, the other being a 3-2 win over England on matchday 3 at EURO 2000, a result that saw them reach the quarter-finals. Their record is also D6 L11.
This time, under the leadership of Edward Iordanescu, in office since January 2022, Romania remained undefeated (6 wins, 4 draws) to finish top of Group I with a five-point lead, thus validating its ticket for EURO 2024.
Romania have progressed from the EURO group stage for only the second time in six attempts. It is the first time they have finished top of their group, having finished second to Portugal at EURO 2000.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, are taking part in their eleventh Euro. Their most famous campaign was in 1988, when goals from Ruud Gullit and Van Basten gave Rinus Michels’ team a 2-0 victory in the final against the Soviet Union.
The Dutch are appearing in their ninth final phase in the last ten editions of the tournament, the only one they missed being in 2016.
With Ronald Koeman, who won the European Championship as a player in 1988, back for a second term since 1 January 2023, the Netherlands qualified for EURO 2024 by finishing second in Group B. Beaten 4-0 away and 2-1 at home by group winners France, they won their other six games, with a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Amsterdam in their penultimate qualifier securing them a place in the finals.
The winners of Euro 1988 in Germany and finalists of the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa, will be keen to play in a new final and overcome an opponent they know well having already mastered them on several occasions. However, their poor form could be detrimental to them and represent a godsend for the Romanians who will seek to upset all the predictions.
