AMSTERDAM (REUTERS) - Memphis Depay scored a hat-trick as the Netherlands ran out 6-1 winners over 10-man Turkey at the Amsterdam Arena on Tuesday (Sept 7) to go top of World Cup qualifying Group G. It was the first international treble for the 27-year-old striker as the Dutch posted an emphatic victory for the second time in four days to reach 13 points from six games and take over from Turkey at the head of the section. Davy Klaassen scored in the opening minute in a dream start for the home side, who had lost 4-2 to Turkey in Istanbul in March at the start of the qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 finals, before Depay added three more, including a penalty. Guus Til scored the fifth 10 minutes from time and Donyell Malen added a sixth in stoppage time before a consolation goal for Cengiz Under. Turkey slipped from top to third in the group as they stayed on 11 points with Norway moving second, behind the Dutch on goal difference, after beating Gibraltar 5-1 on Tuesday. The Netherlands picked up where they left off after an emphatic 4-0 win over Montenegro on Saturday to snatch the lead as Klaassen combined with Depay to score almost straight from the kick off. An aggressive Dutch approach led to Klaassen then providing the assist for Depay's first goal in the 17th minute as they doubled the score and it was 3-0 at halftime after Depay converted a 38th-minute penalty. Caglar Soyuncu was booked for a foul on Klaassen to concede the spot kick, which was awarded after a VAR check. The Turkey defender was then sent off for a second caution on the stroke of halftime. Depay completed his hat-trick with a diving header on the goal-line to touch home Steven Berghuis's cross in the 54th minute before Til and Malen sealed the win with two more goals. The one blemish came from a errant pass from goalkeeper Justin Bijlow that allowed Under to score for Turkey with the last kick of the game. It was a triumphant night for veteran coach Louis van Gaal at the start of his third spell as coach. He had just days to prepare the team for their draw in Norway last Wednesday but has since engineered two emphatic wins and a clear path to automatic qualification. More on this topic Related Story Football: Griezmann double fires France to victory over Finland Related Story Football: Portugal cruise past Azerbaijan in World Cup qualifier
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS (REUTERS) - Memphis Depay scored twice to guide the Netherlands to a first win following the return of coach Louis van Gaal with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Montenegro in their World Cup Group G qualifier in Eindhoven on Saturday (Sept 4). Depay slotted a first-half penalty and added a second goal after the break to take his recent tally to nine in as many games for the Dutch, who also scored through Georginio Wijnaldum and a first international strike for Cody Gakpo. They are second in Group G midway through qualification with 10 points from five games, one point behind leaders Turkey and on the same number as third-placed Norway. Only the top team qualifies automatically for the finals in Qatar next year. Netherlands host Turkey in Amsterdam in a potentially key game on Tuesday, while Norway are at home to minnows Gibraltar. More on this topic Related Story Football: Croatia beat Slovakia with late Brozovic strike Related Story Football: France's winless run continues with Ukraine draw
MADRID (REUTERS) - Netherlands’ winger Steven Berghuis scored one goal and set up another as they overcame a wasteful first half to thump minnows Gibraltar 7-0 in their World Cup qualifier at the Victoria Stadium on Tuesday (March 30). Luuk de Jong, Memphis Depay, Georginio Wijnaldum and Donyell Malen all also netted as the visitors struck four goals in nine second-half minutes to give an emphatic look to the score after a stuttering opening period frustrated manager Frank de Boer. Substitute Donny van de Beek added a sixth late on and Depay got his second as the Netherlands recorded their biggest away win since a 7-0 success over San Marino in 1993. The Dutch moved into second place in Group G with six points from three games, one point behind leaders Turkey who were surprisingly held to a 3-3 draw at home by Latvia. The visitors could not turn their dominance into goals in the first half and, despite having 19 attempts, managed only four on target with one effort going in for a slender lead at the break. Gibraltar goalkeeper Dayle Coleing did make superb saves to deny Depay, Wijnaldum and Davy Klaassen, but he was finally beaten after 41 minutes by Berghuis. The winger profited from a fortunate ricochet in the box and swept the ball into the net. Having waited 23 matches to score his first international goal against Latvia on Saturday, he now has two in two. Gibraltar had a penalty appeal waved away early in the second period when Tjay De Barr tussled with Daley Blind. It was the correct decision from Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro, but the visitors lost Ajax Amsterdam’s Blind to what looked a serious knee injury as he fell awkwardly on the artificial surface. Berghuis turned provider to set up the second for De Jong, and shortly afterwards Depay’s free-kick was deflected into the net and Wijnaldum crashed the ball home from close-range for his 11th goal in his last 16 internationals. Malen then scored a third goal in as many minutes for the visitors to make it 5-0, but it took until the final five minutes for the Netherlands to add two more. Van de Beek had the simplest of tap-ins before Depay turned the ball home at the near post to complete the rout. Before the match, the Dutch players again wore t-shirts designed to highlight the plight of migrant workers in Qatar, who host the next World Cup, joining similar protests made by Norway and Germany players at previous games.