The Netherlands' Cody Gakpo netted his third goal of the European Championship, supported by Donyell Malen's late brace, as they bounced back with a dominant 3-0 victory over Romania in the last-16 clash on Tuesday. Criticized for defensive lapses in their previous match against Austria, which ended in a 3-2 defeat, the Dutch displayed improved composure and control, securing their first Euro quarterfinal appearance since 2008.
Gakpo opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a precise low shot that beat goalkeeper Florin Nita at his near post. Malen later sealed the win with two goals, strengthening the Netherlands' position for a quarterfinal showdown against either Austria or Turkey, to be held in Berlin on Saturday.
Throughout the match, the Dutch asserted their dominance with two-thirds of possession and nearly five times as many scoring opportunities. Virgil van Dijk came close to extending the lead with a header that struck the post, while Gakpo had another goal disallowed for offside, underscoring their superiority on the pitch.
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