Dutch coach Koeman praises performance, Van Dijk asks for improvement

[p]The Dutch next meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ecuador/8tbm8Tri/"]‌Ecuador[/a] in Eindhoven on Tuesday and will play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/algeria/nc87N1BR/"]Algeria[/a] in ‌June as they continue their preparations for the ‌World Cup, which is scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in North America.[/p][p][b]"This was simply a very good ‌match from us against a very strong ⁠country," [/b]Koeman said ‌in a press conference.[/p][p][b]"It is somewhat typically Dutch to think ​that when you play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a], you have to beat them. That is not the case. ​In the qualifiers, they beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]Italy[/a] twice.[/b][/p][p][b]"Norway also had good phases against us, but looking at the ⁠entire match, I ​think we deserved to win."[/b][/p][embed guid="786cc0fd-098c-40b9-89f7-c23e669861d5" url="https://x.com/OnsOranje/status/2037644907003740260" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/netherlands/WYintcWb/"]Netherlands[/a], who were playing without several regulars, fell behind to an early strike from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schjelderup-andreas/SEp0z7ho/"]Andreas Schjelderup[/a] but fought back through goals from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-dijk-virgil/U59RNqOr/"]‌Van Dijk[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/reijnders-tijani/f17EnPl3/"]Tijjani Reijnders[/a].[/p][p]Van Dijk was less enthusiastic about his side's performance and did not want to answer a question about whether the Dutch were genuine contenders for the World Cup, which is being held in Canada, Mexico and the United States.[/p][p][b]“There is still work to be done. In spells it went well, but at other times less so,”[/b] ‌he said.[/p][p][b]“I thought we were better in the ​second half, partly because they were a bit ‌more tired. Ultimately, we had enough chances to score more goals. Defensively, we were also solid. We won deservedly and now we move on.”[/b][/p][p]The Netherlands are in Group F at the World ⁠Cup with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/ULXPdOUj/"]Japan[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tunisia/QqZVYk95/"]Tunisia[/a], ⁠and either [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/poland/2HzmcynI/"]Poland[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/OQyqbHWB/"]‌Sweden[/a].[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/netherlands-WYintcWb/norway-8rP6JO0H/?mid=rujmEN6L"]Catch up on the match here.[/a][/b][/p]