The Netherlands ended Qatar’s participation in the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, defeating the hosts 2-0 in a Group A match at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.
While Qatar has lost all three league games, the Dutch have kept their record spotless with their second win, a tense 1-0 victory over Ecuador last Friday.
The Dutch will be hoping to break their World Cup jinx after reaching the finals three times, in 1974, 1978, and 2010, where they were defeated by West Germany, Argentina, and Spain, respectively.
The Netherlands led 1-0 at halftime thanks to Cody Gakpo’s 26th-minute strike as the Dutch looked to book their place in the last 16.
Gakpo raced on to Davy Klaassen’s pass and fired a low shot into the bottom corner, helping the Netherlands finish first in the standings.
Qatar had already failed to qualify for the next round of the tournament before the game began.