Ake helps dominant Dutch past Romania | OneFootball

Nathan Ake helped the Netherlands get the better of Romania 3-0 and reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.

The City defender started at left-back for Ronald Koeman’s side, featuring for 68 minutes as his nation cruised to victory.

The Dutch were full value for the dominant scoreline, grabbing the opener just inside 20 minutes before Donyell Malen wrapped up the scoring with a late brace.

Holland got off the mark when Cody Gakpo fired in a vicious effort at the near post after cutting inside onto his favoured right foot, taking his personal tally to three at Euro 2024.

Ake and co. could’ve added to their advantage before the break, with Xavi Simons going particularly close as half-time approached when he scuffed an effort wide from a promising position.

Memphis Depay went even closer to number two when he was first to a loose ball in the Romania box after the restart but a remarkable late challenge by Andrei Rațiu took the sting out of his effort from around eight yards.

Another chance went begging just before the hour when Virgil Van Dijk’s header from a corner clipped the outside of the post, but the Netherland had the ball in the net again soon after.

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And Ake was at the centre of the move, with his flick-on causing problems in the Romanian defence from a right wing cross.

The City defender rose highest to knock down an inviting ball into the path of Gakpo who fired home, but Malen’s involvement from an offside position saw the goal chalked off.

It was one of our number six’s final acts in Munich, with Koeman resting Ake ahead of their last eight clash this weekend.

Substitute Joey Veerman, one of the players brought on during the break in play where Ake was replaced, almost added a second when he curled an effort agonisingly wide of the far post after picking up play in the Romania area.

But number two would finally come with just under ten to play when Malen tapped into an empty net after Gakpo had cut the ball back into his path from the by-line.

And the Borussia Dortmund winger doubled his personal tally for the afternoon deep into stoppage time when he finished off a swift counter attack with a clinical low finish.

The Netherlands' emphatic victory sets up a tie against Austria or Turkey in the quarter-finals, ahead of their Round of 16 encounter on Tuesday evening.

Should they emerge victorious from that quarter-final clash, then Ake and co. could face either Switzerland or England in the last four.