After the Netherlands defeated Iceland 4-0 in their final warm-up encounter on Monday before traveling to the Euros, their excitement was short-lived as playmaker Frenkie de Jong was confirmed not to compete in the competition in Germany.
The 27-year-old has been fighting to recover in time after sustaining multiple ankle injuries while on the Barcelona team this season. After a week of solo work, De Jong tried team training for the first time on Sunday. However, following tests on Monday, the doctors declared he wouldn’t be ready in time.
That dampened Dutch sentiments even though Feyenoord’s De Kuip stadium hosted a convincing home victory over Iceland in a friendly. Before Virgil van Dijk scored and Donyell Malen added a third, Xavi Simons scored his first goal for his nation to put the Netherlands ahead 1-0 at the break. As the Netherlands get ready to play Poland in Hamburg on Sunday, Wout Weghorst scored the game’s fourth goal just before the end.
In the last warm-up game before Euro 2024, Poland defeated Turkey 2-1 thanks to a goal from Nicola Zalewski in the ninetieth minute, although the home team will be concerned about injuries to forwards Karol Swiderski and Robert Lewandowski.
In the twelfth minute, Swiderski scored the first goal of the game by putting the ball beneath goalkeeper Mert Gunok’s legs. However, as he celebrated, the forward stumbled and hurt his ankle.
In the 77th minute, two replacements helped Turkey draw even when Kenan Yildiz found Baris Alper Yilmaz on the outskirts of the box, whose effort beat goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and passed through the legs of defender Bartosz Salamon.
Both teams had opportunities to win, but Zalewski’s single run into the box and excellent goal in the dying minutes allowed Poland to extend their winning streak to eight games. Turkey has lost their last five games.
After Arkadiusz Milik sustained an injury during Poland’s 3-1 victory over Ukraine on Friday, the Juventus attacker was left out of the Euro team. With Swiderski’s injury, manager Michal Probierz may face more challenges.
Although Lewandowski’s injury may not be as severe as Swiderski’s, it was nonetheless disheartening for Poland supporters to watch their talisman leave the field hurt later in the first half. Probierz stated, “Robert has a slight injury, but there should be no problem.” In their opening Euro match on Sunday, Poland takes on the Netherlands.
In their final warm-up on Monday, the Czech Republic labored to a 2-1 victory over North Macedonia with two penalties in the second half, although the hosts seldom troubled a side that was eliminated from the competition.
Ivan Hasek, the Czech coach, made nine changes from the team that defeated Malta 7-1 on Friday. Tomas Soucek, a midfielder, and Patrik Schick, a forward, were added to the roster, which looks certain to start at the Euros. On the hour, Schick scored the first goal for the Czech Republic after Soucek fouled. Five minutes later, Isnik Alimi leveled the score by heading in a rebound off the post. In additional time, Antonin Barak scored the winning penalty.
The Twente Enschede midfielder hurt himself on a tricycle over the weekend, so the Czechs will travel to Germany without him. The team will play their first Euro match against Portugal in Leipzig on June 18 before traveling to Georgia and Turkey.
