Depay saves the day, Netherlands draw 1-1, Poland retain top spot.

Memphis Depay appeared at the exact moment the Netherlands needed him most: a rebound goal early in the second half salvaged a 1-1 draw against Poland, enough for Ronald Koeman's team to retain top spot in Group G and move closer to securing direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

The climax of the second half: Depay makes his mark.

Just minutes into the second half, Cody Gakpo made a powerful run down the left, beating Matty Cash before delivering a perfect cross for Donyell Malen to head home from close range. Goalkeeper Grabara made the save, but Depay – the Netherlands' all-time leading scorer – pounced on the rebound to equalize.

First half punished: Lewandowski unlocks, Kaminski finishes.

Poland started fiercely. In less than 90 seconds, Cash surged forward on the right and delivered a perfect cross for Zalewski, but his shot went wide. After about 10 minutes of being pressed, the Netherlands regained control: the De Jong-Gravenberch partnership moved the ball smoothly, allowing the visitors to maintain possession for 64% of the time and create 26 chances in the final third. However, against the well-organized home defense, the Netherlands only managed one shot on target in the entire first half.

In the 43rd minute, the game turned around for Poland: Robert Lewandowski, despite being relatively quiet before that, delivered a delicate through pass that tore apart the visitors' defense, allowing Jakub Kaminski to break free and finish through Verbruggen's legs, opening the scoring at 1-0. Earlier, Poland had been forced to make a substitution when Szymanski suffered an injury, making way for Kapustka. The first half ended with Poland's xG (x1) score at 1.01 compared to the Netherlands' 0.11.

The tempo is broken, and there are interventions from the coaching bench.

Having conceded the equalizer, Poland immediately responded. In the 48th minute, Cash broke through and crossed the ball for Lewandowski to shoot, but Verbruggen made an excellent save for the Netherlands. Piotr Zielinski then had two consecutive shots in the 54th and 55th minutes, but neither was powerful enough to double the lead.

In the 58th minute, the match was interrupted by flares being thrown onto the pitch, disrupting the tempo. When play resumed, the Netherlands gradually regained control, while Poland showed signs of fatigue. Coach Ronald Koeman made adjustments in the 74th minute, bringing on Lutsharel Geertruida and Tijjani Reijnders. For the home side, Pawel Wszolek came on as a substitute for Matty Cash in the 81st minute.

The visiting team had more possession in the final stages but failed to create any truly clear chances, while Poland struggled to get close to Verbruggen's goal. The 1-1 scoreline accurately reflected the back-and-forth nature of the second half.

Tactical perspective: Control does not come with quality.

The Netherlands' initiative was built on De Jong-Gravenberch's ball control and Gakpo's attacking prowess down the left flank. However, the tightness of the Polish defense meant that 26 attempts on the final third of the pitch by the visitors failed to convert into clear chances in the first half, as evidenced by only 1 shot on target and an xG of 0.11.

Conversely, Poland played pragmatically: organized defense, waiting for the right moment and punishing with a through pass from Lewandowski to Kaminski. After Depay's equalizer, Poland's pressing and quick counter-attacks continued to create problems, but Verbruggen proved reliable with a save against Lewandowski, before the tempo was interrupted by flares.

Selective statistics

• Score: Poland 1-1 Netherlands.
• The Netherlands held possession for 64% of the time.
• The Netherlands had 26 chances to get into the final third of the pitch.
• Netherlands' shots on target in the first half: 1.
• First half xG: Poland 1.01 – Netherlands 0.11.
• Key moments: opening goal in the 43rd minute; interruption due to flares in the 58th minute; substitutions in the 74th minute (Netherlands) and 81st minute (Poland).

Impact on Group G of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers

The draw allowed the Netherlands to maintain their lead in Group G, three points ahead of Poland. This gap brings the Dutch team closer to securing direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Final score:Poland 1-1 Netherlands