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Koeman rues late leveller by Spain
The Straits Times
|March 22, 2025
France's Deschamps vows to turn around deficit against Croatia in Nations League
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PARIS - Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman insisted his side were the better team, as Mikel Merino's 93rd-minute equaliser earned Spain a 2-2 draw in Nations League quarter-final first-leg action on March 20.
Croatia, meanwhile, have one foot in the semi-finals after stunning France 2-0.
Germany are in prime position to host the final stage of the tournament after coming from behind to beat Italy 2-1 in Milan, while Rasmus Hojlund fired Denmark into a 1-0 first-leg lead against Portugal.
In Rotterdam, reigning champions Spain raced into an early lead through Nico Williams but needed a stoppage-time leveller against the 10-man Dutch side to avoid their first defeat since a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia in March 2024.
Dutch goals either side of the break courtesy of Cody Gakpo and Tijjani Reijnders had flipped the tie on its head, until an 81st-minute red card for teenager Jorrel Hato for a rash challenge on Robin le Normand gave Spain a way back.
It was the ever-dangerous Williams who created Spain's second as he cut in and fired off a strike, which Bart Verbruggen could only palm out to the lurking Merino.
This story is from the March 22, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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