The Netherlands will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing group stage performance at the European Championship when they face Romania in the Round of 16 on Tuesday in Munich. Despite finishing third in their group after a loss to Austria in Berlin, the Dutch were fortunate to avoid a potential clash with England and instead drew a matchup against Romania.
However, while Romania sits 40 spots below the Netherlands in the FIFA rankings and has a relatively poor record in European Championship history with only two wins in 19 matches across six appearances, the Dutch cannot afford to take their opponents lightly. Romania has only managed a single victory in 14 past meetings against the Netherlands, suffering 10 defeats. Their sole success came in a Euro 2008 qualifier, a 1-0 win in Constanta.
The Netherlands will be looking to capitalize on their superior ranking and recent form to secure a place in the quarter-finals. However, they will need to be wary of Romania’s ability to cause an upset, particularly given their history of close encounters. The match promises to be a tense affair with both sides eager to advance to the next stage of the tournament.
