Goalkeeper Robin Roefs from the Netherlands has expressed the team’s readiness to demonstrate their quality as they gear up for Wednesday’s semi-final at the Under-21 European Championships.
The Netherlands secured their place in the semi-finals by knocking out the pre-tournament favourites, Portugal. Despite a rocky start where the Young Lions drew their first two matches, they have since found form and notably haven’t conceded any goals in their last two fixtures.
Roefs, who plays for NEC Nijmegen, was thrust into the spotlight just before the tournament commenced, stepping in for first-choice keeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro after he picked up an injury during a warm-up match against Ivory Coast.
The team will be without captain Devyne Rensch, midfielder Kenneth Taylor, and left winger Ruben van Bommel, all of whom are serving suspensions. “They’re three pivotal, outstanding players,” remarked Roefs. “However, I’m confident in our squad; we’ve shown our strength throughout the tournament. Now we must continue to demonstrate that every player in the squad is crucial.”
“I believe you can hardly see much difference between the players during training, so I’m sure we’ll manage just fine.”
Extended Season
At Tuesday’s media briefing, manager Michael Reiziger announced that Jorrel Hato will captain the side against England in the absence of Rensch and Taylor.
This match will mark Hato’s 60th appearance of the season. Roefs commented that while it has been a long season for him as well, the experience differs for a goalkeeper. “It’s not as intense for a goalkeeper, but you certainly feel the effects of playing so many matches in quick succession.”
Physically, Roefs feels good, stating, “No bruises on the hip, and I haven’t had to dive much lately. The defence has been performing admirably.”
The last encounter between the Netherlands and England in the U21 Euros dates back to 2007 when they clashed in the semi-finals. The Dutch triumphed on penalties, ultimately clinching the title for the second consecutive year.
At 22 years old, Roefs is mentally prepared for the possibility of a penalty shootout. “Absolutely. We make sure to train for penalties before every match.”
However, the Young Lions will miss a crucial player in this respect, as Roefs considers Taylor—the player known for successfully converting penalties for Ajax in the Eredivisie—among the best at this skill. “Kenneth is top-notch for penalties.”
Progression
After drawing against Finland and falling to Denmark in their earlier matches, the Netherlands seemed to turn a corner, demonstrating significant improvement in their performances against Ukraine and Portugal. Roefs noted the team’s development throughout the tournament.
“At the beginning, I wasn’t completely satisfied with my performances, just like the others, but I feel I’ve played well in the last several matches.”
When questioned about the team’s improvements under Reiziger’s revised tactics, Roefs highlighted the defence. “We’ve gained more stability at the back. In the earlier matches, when we lost the ball, we left ourselves quite exposed. We’ve adjusted well with some tactical shifts and improvements in our mentality.”
When Ruben van Bommel received a red card in the 21st minute against Portugal, Roefs feared he’d have a challenging evening ahead. “However, I believe we did a fantastic job playing with ten men—everyone put in an exceptional effort.”
‘A Very Strong Team, Just Like Us’
Similar to the Netherlands, England have also evolved during the tournament, having delivered their best performance against Spain, winning 3-1 to eliminate them.
“They’re a very strong team, just like us,” Roefs commented. “They have numerous players competing at a high level. We’ll need to be at our best to secure a spot in the final.”
The Netherlands will face England in their U21 Euros semi-final on Wednesday, June 25th, at 18:00 CET.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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