Netherlands Outscore Malta 8-0: Koeman's Team Displays Dominance; Depay Equals Van Persie's Goal Tally
The Dutch national team maintained their impressive form in the UEFA World Cup qualifiers with an emphatic 8-0 victory over Malta on Tuesday. This win, their highest score since March 2021 against Gibraltar, saw them extend their unbeaten streak to 15 games.
In a dominant first half, Virgil van Dijk scored a powerful edge-of-the-box goal to make it 3-0, while Memphis Depay added two more, including one from a penalty, to take his tally to eight goals in his last five qualifiers. Depay's brace also marked five consecutive World Cup qualifiers in which he has found the back of the net.
The first penalty was awarded following a foul on Justin Kluivert, and Donyell Malen scored two goals for the Netherlands, one from the edge of the box and one with a well-placed strike. Malen's impressive performance was further highlighted by his assist for Noa Lang's goal.
Depay also provided an assist for Xavi Simons' fourth goal of the match, while Micky van de Ven scored a goal in injury time to complete the 8-0 victory. The Dutch team has now kept three consecutive clean sheets in World Cup qualifiers, a testament to their defensive solidity.
Despite playing two fewer games than table-toppers Finland, the Dutch team remains in second place in Group G of the qualifiers. With such formidable form, the Netherlands are certainly a team to watch as the qualifying stages progress.
However, it's worth noting that while Depay has been scoring consistently, the exact number of consecutive World Cup qualifier games in which he has scored for the Netherlands is not currently known. More detailed match-by-match statistics from a specialized football statistics source or official UEFA/FIFA records would be required to answer this question conclusively.
In the context of European leagues, the Dutch national team's impressive form continues, with Depay scoring in five consecutive World Cup qualifiers, including a brace against Malta, as they aim to clinch the Champions League spot. With three clean sheets in a row, the team's defensive solidity is a testament to their potential as a formidable force in upcoming European competitions.
