Having now qualified for the Euro 2024 group-stage draw as direct entrants, the Netherlands conclude their Group B duties against a morale-depleted Gibraltar at Portugal's Estadio Algarve on Tuesday.
Ronald Koeman's side defeated the Republic of Ireland 1-0 to ensure a top-two finish in the section, while their hosts were on the receiving end of a 14-0 humiliation at the hands of France.
Match preview
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The writing was already on the wall for Gibraltar when Ethan Santos inadvertently turned the ball into his own net with three minutes gone in Saturday's showdown with Group B winners France, and the 24-year-old's nightmare evening ended with him taking the walk of shame for a shocking challenge on Bleus debutant Warren Zaire-Emery.
What followed can only be described as a total and utter decimation, as France set a new national team winning record and posted the biggest-ever margin of victory in a Euros qualifying game, not to mention inflicting Gibraltar's heaviest-ever defeat upon them.
A penny for Julio Ribas's thoughts on the touchline as he witnessed France tear open his side's permeable backline time and time again, but Gibraltar can take some solace in the fact that even an unforeseen victory at the Allianz Riviera would have made no impact on the Group B standings.
While Cyprus, Malta, San Marino and Liechtenstein have also failed to glean a single point from Euros qualifying, Gibraltar are on course to finish as the worst of the bunch, having failed to score one goal while conceding a qualification-high 35 at the other end of the field.
Never before have Gibraltar gone through a major tournament qualifying campaign without scoring a single goal, netting a record four in the preliminary rounds of the 2022 World Cup, but yet another unwanted slice of history surely awaits Los Llanis on Tuesday.
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Coincidentally, one goal was all that the Netherlands required to make sure of a second-placed finish in Group B when the Republic of Ireland came to town on Saturday evening, only to succumb to a fine Wout Weghorst finish in the 12th minute.
Two months on from completing the Dutch comeback in a 2-1 win in Dublin, Weghorst gave Nathan Collins the slip and surged forward before curling home into the top corner with aplomb, although the scoreline could have been more emphatic had Koeman's men displayed a little more ruthlessness.
Oranje did have to withstand one nail-biting moment, as Bart Verbruggen allowed an Adam Idah strike to squirm under his body and over the line, but the offside flag spared the Brighton & Hove Albion man's blushes as the Netherlands avoided the pressure of the playoffs.
The visitors' second-placed ranking will not change no matter what transpires this week, but Koeman's men could still enter Pot 2, 3 or 4 for the group-stage draw, so victory remains imperative for the 1988 champions lest they risk a daunting baptism in Germany.
Few problems should arise for the Netherlands on Tuesday, though, as they have unsurprisingly claimed three wins from three previous meetings with Gibraltar - scoring 16 goals while conceding none - and March's showdown at De Kuip ended in a resounding 3-0 triumph.
Team News
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Gibraltar defender Santos will have ample time to reflect on what was surely the worst 20 minutes of his career on Saturday night, as the 24-year-old - who represents local outfit Manchester 62 - is suspended for Tuesday's game on account of his red card against France.
Ribas is bereft of alternative centre-back options, though, so either Jayce Olivero or Ethan Jolley - both full-backs by trade - should be introduced into the Llanis' defence-heavy setup, where 40-year-old Roy Chipolina continues to don the armband.
While Chipolina's veteran legs are unlikely to be given a reprieve, 42-year-old attacker Lee Casciaro may be sacrificed for younger blood in the shape of Jamie Coombes or Mohamed Badr, while Dylan Peacock and Michael Ruiz are both waiting for their debuts.
After losing a plethora of notable names to injury in the build-up to the visit of Ireland, including Nathan Ake, Lutsharel Geertruida, Jeremie Frimpong and Steven Bergwijn, Koeman would have been relieved to see no fresh faces enter the treatment room over the weekend.
Another three-point haul is still of paramount importance to the Dutch, but Koeman will certainly consider freshening up the pack, which could potentially see Jorrel Hato and Thijs Dallinga earn their debuts for the Netherlands at Estadio Algarve.
The likes of Donyell Malen and Jordan Teze are above the uncapped pair in the pecking order, but Dallinga in particular is in with a strong chance of making his first appearance, while Teun Koopmeiners and Mats Wieffer ought to be considered for minutes in the middle.
Gibraltar possible starting lineup:
Coleing; Jolley, Sergeant, Mouelhi, R. Chipolina, J. Chipolina; Badr, Pozo, De Haro, Walker; De Barr
Netherlands possible starting lineup:
Flekken; De Vrij, Van Dijk, Blind; Teze, Koopmeiners, Wieffer, Hartman; Stengs, Dallinga, Malen
We say: Gibraltar 0-5 Netherlands
While there should be no repeat of their 14-0 dismantling at the hands of France, it will be another backs-against-the-wall job for Gibraltar on Tuesday night, as the Netherlands do their utmost to earn a place in Pot 2.
Several fringe players ought to be handed golden opportunities to impress Koeman, whose men should encounter no obstacles whatsoever en route to a straightforward success.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
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