Depay saves points, Netherlands draws 1-1, Poland keeps top spot

Memphis Depay appeared at the moment the Netherlands needed it most: a second-half rebound to salvage a 1-1 draw in Poland, enough for coach Ronald Koeman's team to keep top spot in Group G and move closer to a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup.

Climax of the second half: Depay speaks up

Just a few minutes into the second half, Cody Gakpo sprinted strongly down the left, passed Matty Cash and then crossed the ball for Donyell Malen to head in from close range. Goalkeeper Grabara blocked but Depay – the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer – swooped in to finish, bringing the match back to a tie.

Punished first half: Lewandowski opens, Kaminski finishes

Poland started the game fiercely. After less than 90 seconds, Cash ran up to the right and crossed for Zalewski but the shot went wide. After about 10 minutes of pressure, the Netherlands regained control: the De Jong – Gravenberch pair circulated the ball rhythmically, helping the visitors keep the ball for 64% of the time and make 26 approaches to the final third of the field. However, against the well-organized defense of the home team, the Netherlands only had 1 shot on target in the entire first half.

In the 43rd minute, the scenario turned around for Poland: Robert Lewandowski, who had been quiet before, sent a delicate pass through the visitors' defense for Jakub Kaminski to finish through Verbruggen's legs, opening the score at 1-0. Before that, Poland was forced to make a substitution when Szymanski was injured, giving way to Kapustka. The first half ended with the xG index in favor of Poland 1.01 compared to 0.11 for the Netherlands.

Broken rhythm, interventions from the coaching bench

Having equalized, Poland immediately responded. In the 48th minute, Cash crossed for Lewandowski to finish but Verbruggen made an excellent reflex save for the Netherlands. Piotr Zielinski then had two consecutive shots in the 54th and 55th minutes, but they were not difficult enough to double the gap.

In the 58th minute, the match was interrupted by a flare being thrown onto the pitch, causing the rhythm to be interrupted. When the ball started rolling again, the Netherlands gradually took control, while Poland showed signs of running out of steam. Coach Ronald Koeman made adjustments in the 74th minute, sending on Lutsharel Geertruida and Tijjani Reijnders. For the home side, Pawel Wszolek came on to replace Matty Cash in the 81st minute.

The visitors had more possession in the final minutes but failed to create any clear-cut chances, while Poland struggled to get close to Verbruggen's goal. The 1-1 scoreline reflected the tense situation of the second half.

Tactical Angle: Control Does Not Come With Quality

The Dutch initiative was built on the foundation of De Jong – Gravenberch’s ball possession and Gakpo’s ability to attack down the left flank. However, the tightness of Poland’s defense meant that the visitors’ 26 final third approaches did not translate into clear-cut chances in the first half, reflected in just 1 shot on target and xG 0.11.

In contrast, Poland played pragmatically: defending in an organized manner, waiting for the right moment and punishing with a pass down the channel from Lewandowski to Kaminski. After Depay's equalizer, Poland's efforts to press back and counter-attack quickly still created problems, but Verbruggen was the fulcrum with a save from Lewandowski, before the rhythm of the game was interrupted by flares.

Selected statistics

• Score: Poland 1-1 Netherlands.
• The Netherlands kept the ball for 64% of the time.
• The Netherlands had 26 situations approaching the final third of the field.
• Netherlands shots on target in the first half: 1.
• First half xG: Poland 1.01 – Netherlands 0.11.
• Notable milestones: opening goal in the 43rd minute; interruption due to flares in the 58th minute; substitutions in the 74th (Netherlands) and 81st (Poland) minutes.

Impact on Group G of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers

The draw helped the Netherlands maintain their top spot in Group G, 3 points ahead of Poland. With this gap, the orange team is closer to a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup.

Final score:Poland 1-1 Netherlands