The Netherlands’ assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy said the team cannot afford to take its foot off the accelerator in the European Championship after topping Group C, and must learn from mistakes made in major tournaments in the past.
The Dutch began their campaign with a 3-2 victory over Ukraine, going on to win all three group matches to set up a last-16 clash on Sunday with Czech Republic. The Czechs qualified after finishing third in Group D with four points.
Former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker van Nistelrooy was part of the Netherlands side that was knocked out of the 2006 World Cup in the last 16 by Portugal and suffered a similar fate in Euro 2008.
Both those exits followed impressive group stage displays and van Nistelrooy warned his team against complacency.
“I talked about it with the group. That’s why it was important not to loosen the reins too much after Austria,” van Nistelrooy told reporters on Friday, referring to their 2-0 victory in their second match. “Because then it’s difficult to get back into the flow.”
Old nemesis
The Netherlands will be wary of what lies ahead at the Puskas Arena, especially if they underestimate their opponents.
It was a mistake they made in the Euro 2016 qualification, losing both home and away to the Czechs and failing to make the tournament in France.
It was the same at the 2004 finals when the Czechs came from two goals down to beat the Dutch 3-2 in a last-gasp triumph in the group phase.
Dutch captain Georginio Wijnaldum moved quickly this week to dispel any notion they saw the Czechs as inferior opposition. “Everyone has seen Germany against the Hungarians, right? We are viewing the Czech Republic as a top country and approaching the game as such,” he said.
The Czechs’ impressive record at the Euros has been understated. Since 1996 they have not only qualified for every tournament, but have made it past the group phase four times. They were runners-up in 1996, semi-finalists in 2004 and made the last eight in 2012.
In Patrik Schick they possess an in-form striker, with three goals at the tournament so far, including an astonishing effort from near the halfway line against Scotland in their opening game.