Flying Dutchman Dumfries Emerges As Breakout Star Of Euro 2020
Umer Jamshaid Published June 18, 2021 | 06:20 PM
Amsterdam, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jun, 2021 ) :Coming into Euro 2020, Netherlands coach Frank de Boer decided to change the way his team play, a move that sparked fierce debate in the football-mad country but has helped create a new star in orange.
Denzel Dumfries has caught the eye like no other player in the opening week of the competition, scoring in both of the Netherlands' wins against Ukraine and Austria as the Dutch secured qualification for the last 16 in first place of Group C with a game to spare.
With De Boer dealing with injury problems and a dearth of top-class wingers to succeed Arjen Robben, he opted to ditch the once-sacred 4-3-3 formation and switch to a 3-5-2.
Before the Ukraine match in Amsterdam last Sunday, a plane flew over the team's training base trailing a banner urging De Boer not to make the change.
He did, and Dumfries, the flying right wing-back, has been the biggest beneficiary.
Against Ukraine, the PSV Eindhoven player helped set up his side's first two goals.
After they squandered their two-goal lead, Dumfries headed in a late winner.
On Thursday against Austria, back at the Johan Cruyff Arena, the 25-year-old won the early penalty converted by Memphis Depay to put them in front.
He then scored his side's second goal and again walked away with the man-of-the-match award.
Part of the new generation of Dutch players to be promoted after their failure to reach the 2018 World Cup, Dumfries had not scored for his country in 19 caps before the Euro.
The last player to score in his first two European Championship games for the Oranje was Ruud van Nistelrooy, now a member of De Boer's backroom staff.
"The most important thing is not my performance, it's the three points," insisted Dumfries as the Dutch eased into the knockout stage on their return to a major tournament for the first time since the 2014 World Cup.
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