'This is how we get caught by Japan' — After a shocking 0-1 defeat to Algeria at home, the Netherlands faces a wave of harsh criticism: "A performance still reeling from a hangover... truly the worst."

*This content was translated by AI.

The Netherlands suffered a painful blow from the 'African dark horse' Algeria at home.

On the 4th (Korea time), the Netherlands lost 0-1 to Algeria in a friendly match held at De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands. This ended the Netherlands' 14-match unbeaten streak in A-match games.

On this day, the Netherlands launched an offensive with Donell Malen, Cody Gakpo, and Tjaronn Chery leading the charge, but failed to score due to bad luck in front of goal and consecutive saves by the opposing goalkeeper. Ultimately, the Netherlands conceded a painful winning goal to Haj Moussa in the 41st minute of the second half and lost. While the Netherlands recorded a total of six shots on target, Algeria managed only two.

After the match, Dutch media outlets unleashed a barrage of harsh criticism. 'De Telegraaf' described the conceding of the goal as "a lingering and painful blow, much like a hangover." This metaphor suggests that the late goal conceded was so shocking that it left the team with confusion and aftereffects.

It further pointed out, "The Netherlands squandered numerous opportunities," adding, "They exposed so many problems that it would have been a relief to lose. A mountain of tasks now lies before coach Ronald Koeman and the squad."

Other multiple media outlets also harshly criticized the Netherlands national team, stating, "Question marks have been raised," and "They were lethargic and lacked accuracy."

The Netherlands will face Uzbekistan on the 8th in a final mock exam before the 2026 North American World Cup. Following that, they will play their first Group J match against Japan on the 14th, before facing Sweden and Tunisia.

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*This content was translated by AI.