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TUESDAY | MAR 25, 2025

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‘We don’t fear anyone’ Pedri bullish after La Roja oust Netherlands to reach Nations League semis N ATIONS LEAGUE holders Spain reached the final four with a 5-4 win on penalties against the Netherlands,

appearance, threw himself to the ground after tussling with Robin Le Normand. Despite the hosts’ protests the contentious decision stood and Depay blasted home from the spot. Spain’s dynamic wingers helped restore their lead with a razor-sharp counter-attack. Yamal released Nico Williams, who drove into the box and slipped the ball to Oyarzabal. Although Verbruggen saved his attempted dink, the Spaniard headed home the rebound. Netherlands responded swiftly, capitalising when Olmo gave the ball away inside his area. Substitute Simons slipped a clever pass to Maatsen on the left and the Aston Villa defender brilliantly rifled into the top corner to force extra time. De la Fuente sent on Pedri and Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, who salvaged Spain a draw in the first leg, and his team took the lead after 103 minutes. Huijsen lofted the ball into Yamal’s path and the winger controlled it on the run and beat Maatsen before pulling off an exquisite finish. The Dutch battled back again, with Simons winning and converting a penalty in the 109th minute after he was felled by goalkeeper Unai Simon. Both sides netted their first three penalties in the shoot-out, before Netherlands’ Noa Lang hit the crossbar and Verbruggen saved a tame Yamal effort. In sudden death Simon saved low from Malen and Pedri coolly sent Spain through to the final four for a repeat of their Euros semi-final against France. “It was a very hard game, we did the best we could and then it came down to the lottery of penalties,” Simons told TVE . “I’m happy with the assist and the goal but it’s bittersweet as we didn’t win.” – AFP/Agencies

after a thrilling 3-3 quarterfinal second leg draw yesterday had left the tie 5-5 on aggregate. Donyell Malen missed and Barcelona’s Pedri slotted home to settle a gripping match in which the Netherlands came from behind three times to force the shoot-out. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring for Spain but Memphis Depay levelled from the penalty spot. Oyarzabal grabbed Spain’s second before Ian Maatsen rifled home to force extra-time. Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, who also missed a penalty in the shoot-out, scored a brilliant goal to put Spain ahead but Xavi Simons netted another spot-kick to force penalties. “It’s so nice to wear this shirt and to be able to score this goal,” Pedri told Spain’s national television broadcaster TVE , with his side facing France in the semifinals. “We’re Spain and we don’t have to fear anyone,” added Pedri. After Spain’s struggles in Rotterdam on Thursday in the 2-2 first-leg draw, coach Luis de la Fuente made a handful of changes. Oyarzabal and Dani Olmo came in for Alvaro Morata and Pedri, while Dean Huijsen made his first start, against the country of his birth, and excelled. “We feel truly overwhelmed. Today’s match could have easily been the final of the European Championship,” De la Fuente told TVE . “Our team showed the level of performance we are accustomed to. I could feel the emotion I experienced during Euro 2024 again.” “Since it was a match between two teams pursuing attacking football, their characteristics were similar. I

Spain players celebrate after the Nations League quarterfinal second leg match against the Netherlands at Mestalla stadium in Valencia yesterday. – AFPPIC

believe the fans really enjoyed this game. “Now we have another ‘Final Four’ waiting for us. Among the participating teams, three of them are former World Cup champions, and one team is the Euro 2016 champion.” “Just by looking at the composition of the participating teams, you can tell how high the level of this tournament is.

“Even Italy, the world champion, was eliminated. I have always thought that the level of this tournament matches that of the Euro.” Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman brought in debutant Maatsen at left-back, giving him the unenviable challenge of shackling 17 year-old prodigy Yamal at Valencia’s sold-out Mestalla stadium. They won a penalty early on when

Jan Paul van Hecke clumsily brought down Oyarzabal, who scored the winning goal for La Roja in the Euro 2024 final. The Real Sociedad forward took it himself, smashing into the bottom right corner, past Bart Verbruggen’s dive. Koeman’s side levelled after 54 minutes with a penalty of their own when Depay, on his 100th Oranje

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