In a pivotal match in the eighth round of European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, the Netherlands defeated Finland 4-0, thanks to goals from Malen, Van Dijk, Depay, and Gakpo. Coach Ronald Koeman stated in an interview that his team still has room for improvement and expressed hope that the "Orange Army" can continue to improve its efficiency.

In the 8th minute of the game, Malen received Depay's pass from the top of the penalty area and scored with a long shot, helping the Netherlands take the lead 1-0. In the 17th minute, Depay took a free kick into the penalty area and Van Dijk headed the ball into the goal, helping the Netherlands extend its lead to 2-0.

In the 38th minute, Finnish defender Tano's hand came into contact with the ball, resulting in a penalty for the Netherlands. Depay converted the penalty, extending the Netherlands' lead to 3-0. In the 84th minute of the second half, Xavi Simons's pass, which found Gakpo outside the penalty area, extended the Dutch lead to 4-0.

In the end, the Netherlands defeated Finland 4-0 at home. After achieving three consecutive victories, the Netherlands currently ranks first in the standings with 16 points.

Netherlands coach Koeman said, "From the beginning of the game, we tried our best to win and score as many goals as possible. Unfortunately, the fourth goal happened a little late."

"In the first half we could see that once we moved too far out, our threat level would decrease, and Kluivert went wide a few times. Gravenberch even moved from the No. 6 position to right-back at the start, which shouldn't have happened."

Koeman also said, "The key is to keep pressing. If you observe Spain, their players will try their best to press, while we sometimes relax and move around. We still have room for improvement in this regard."

In addition, Finland coach Jacob Friis said, "I praised my players. They fought very hard. As far as I remember, the goals conceded came from a penalty kick, a set piece, and the rest were long shots into the dead corner. It may sound crazy, but our defense is actually pretty good."

"We had a few chances on the counter-attack, but we just didn't have the quality in the final third. They were definitely stronger and faster, and we had the chance to create some special moments."