This is going to be a very tight match. The Netherlands have topped the scoring charts so far in UEFA Euro 2020 with eight goals, which is one more than what tournament favourites Belgium, Italy and defending champions Portugal with a certain Cristiano Ronaldo have scored in the group stage.
If the Oranje continue their free-flowing game, they will be the team to beat. But, in their round of 16 clash, Frank de Boer's side faced a very disciplined side in the Czech Republic. So, what they have achieved so far holds little importance in the knock-out.
The winners of the match meet either Wales or Denmark in Baku.
The Netherlands are looking to win their opening four games of a European Championship for only the second time, having last done so at Euro 2000. Current manager Frank de Boer played in every minute of their four victories to open the tournament in 2000, with all of them being played on home soil in the Netherlands.
Since winning the tournament in 1988, the Netherlands have progressed from just two of their seven knockout stage games in the European Championship, beating Yugoslavia 6-1 in the 2000 quarter-final, and winning 5-4 on penalties against Sweden at the same stage in 2004.
The Czech Republic have been eliminated in three of their last four games in the knockout stages of the European Championships – versus Germany in the final in 1996, Greece in the semi-final in 2004, and most recently, Portugal in the quarter-final of Euro 2012.
The Czech Republic have only won one of their last seven games at major tournaments (World Cup & Euros), drawing two and losing four. That victory came against Scotland earlier in the tournament, winning 2-0 despite facing 19 opposition shots from the Scots in the game.
Match and telecast details
Match: Euro 2020, round of 16 match between Netherlands and Czech Republic
Date: June 27 (Sunday), 2021
Time: 9:30 PM IST
Venue: Ferenc Puskas Stadium, Budapest, Hungary
TV Channels: Sony Sports Network (SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 3, SONY SIX and SONY TEN 4)
Live Streaming: SonyLIV
Head-to-head: They have met 11 times with the Czech Republic leading the head-to-head record 5-3. The other three matches have ended in draws. This will be their first meeting since October 2015, when the Dutch were beaten 3-2 in a Euro 2016 qualifier. They have lost each of their last two games against the Czech Republic – both coming in qualifying for the previous European Championships in 2016.
The Czech Republic and the Netherlands will face each other at the European Championships for the third time (excl. Czechoslovakia meetings), with both sides winning one game apiece previously. Their last meeting in the competition was a thriller at EURO 2004, in which the Czechs came from two goals down to win 3-2, following an 88th-minute winner from Vladimir Smicer.
Key facts
The Netherlands completed more high turnovers (open play sequences that start within 40 metres of the opponent’s goal line) than any other side in the EURO 2020 group stages (44), while only Spain (60) forced more pressed sequences (sequences where the opposition has three or fewer passes and the sequence ends within 40m of their own goal) than the Dutch (58).
Memphis Depay has been directly involved in 13 goals in his last 10 appearances for the Netherlands in all competitions (9 goals, 4 assists), while only Robert Lewandowski (12) attempted more shots than Depay (11) in the group stage at Euro 2020.
Georginio Wijnaldum has scored 15 goals in 25 appearances for the Netherlands since the start of 2019, with no player scoring more for the country in that time. Wijnaldum had scored 10 goals in his first 53 appearances for Oranje.
Patrik Schick recorded six of the Czech Republic’s nine shots on target in the group stage at Euro 2020, the highest percentage of any player for his team in the tournament (67%). However, five of Schick’s shots on target in the group stage came against Scotland on MD1 – he has recorded just one in his last two appearances.
Likely XIs
Netherlands: Maarten Stekelenburg; Denzel Dumfries, Matthijs de Ligt, Stefan de Vrij, Daley Blind, Patrick van Aanholt; Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon, Georginio Wijnaldum; Memphis Depay, Donyell Malen.
Manager: Frank de Boer
Czech Republic: Tomas Vaclik; Vladimir Coufal, Ondrej Celustka, Tomas Kalas, Pavel Kaderabek; Tomas Soucek, Tomas Holes; Lukas Masopust, Vladimir Darida, Jakub Jankto; Patrik Schick.
Manager: Jaroslav Silhavy
