🔥Match Highlights: Netherlands Defeats Malta in 8-Goal Thriller to Secure 2026 World Cup Spot
In a pulsating encounter in Amsterdam, the Netherlands secured their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a resounding 6-2 victory over Malta. The Oranje delivered an attacking masterclass in front of a jubilant home crowd, ensuring their place in football's biggest tournament with one group match to spare.
From the first whistle, the Dutch side showed their intent. Cody Gakpo opened the scoring in the 9th minute with a sublime curling effort from the edge of the box. Just six minutes later, Memphis Depay doubled the lead with a well-placed header from Denzel Dumfries’ cross.
Malta, to their credit, didn’t go down without a fight. A rare counterattack saw Jurgen Degabriele pull one back in the 23rd minute, momentarily silencing the Johan Cruyff Arena. However, any hopes of a Maltese comeback were quickly dashed as Xavi Simons restored the two-goal cushion with a blistering strike in the 35th minute.
The second half continued in similar fashion. Wout Weghorst added a fourth for the Netherlands with a towering header just after the restart. Malta responded once again through a deflected free kick by Steve Pisani, but it proved to be merely a consolation.
In the closing stages, substitutes Steven Bergwijn and Tijjani Reijnders found the net to seal an emphatic 6-2 win for the hosts. The performance not only underlined the depth of Ronald Koeman’s squad but also their attacking flair and resilience ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
The result sees the Netherlands move to the top of their qualifying group, mathematically securing a berth in the 2026 tournament set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Speaking after the match, Koeman praised his team’s mentality: “We showed character, creativity, and hunger tonight. This is the kind of football we want to take to the World Cup.”
For Malta, despite the heavy defeat, moments of promise were evident. But the night belonged to the Dutch – confident, clinical, and now officially on the plane to 2026.
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