The Dutch national team lost their crucial preparation match for the Football World Cup.
Against Algeria, who also qualified for the tournament, Ronald Koeman’s team was defeated 0-1 (0-0) in De Kuip, Rotterdam. The decisive goal came late in the game from Anis Hadj Moussa (86th minute), who scored his first international goal and is currently under contract with Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Overall, the Netherlands had more of the game but were repeatedly thwarted by the brilliant performance of Luca Zidane, son of French icon Zinédine Zidane, in the Algerian goal. Mohamed Amoura of relegated Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg started for Algeria.
After the match, there were whistles and boos. «The Dutch national team boards the plane to America with red faces, but fortunately uninjured,» wrote De Telegraaf.
Netherlands to Face Japan in their 2026 World Cup Opener
On Monday (8:45 PM/DAZN), «Oranje» will aim to regain the necessary confidence for the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada (June 11 to July 19) in New York against football minnow Uzbekistan.
Like Germany, the three-time World Cup runners-up will begin their World Cup campaign against Japan on June 14th. Their other Group F opponents are Sweden (June 20th) and Tunisia (June 26th). Algeria will face world champions Argentina (June 17th), Jordan (June 23rd), and Austria (June 28th) in Group J.