The Netherlands' under-21 team has seen its chances of reaching the European Championship shrink further after Israel's U21 side won its latest qualifier, according to AD.nl. The Dutch outlet reported the result on Tuesday, describing the outcome as bad news for Jong Oranje, with the tournament now even further out of reach.
AD.nl was not alone in that assessment. NOS reported that the European Championship has drifted further from view for the Dutch following Israel's win, while NU framed the same result as pushing the play-off route to a Euro ticket further away. De Telegraaf called Israel's victory a late one and said it left the Netherlands' qualification prospects smaller still.
The reports point to Israel as a direct rival in the race for a place at the tournament, and its win has made the Dutch position more difficult. The Dutch coverage did not stop at the table. VoetbalPrimeur reported that analysts Driessen and Verweij were stunned by the performance, with the pair quoted describing it as a disgraceful showing.
The Netherlands must now rely on results elsewhere and its own remaining fixtures to keep any route to the finals open. What to watch next: whether Jong Oranje can respond in its upcoming matches and whether the teams above them drop points.
