Netherlands relishing tough opening Euro 2022 clash vs Sweden
Netherlands coach Mark Parsons is relishing his team opening up their Euro 2022 campaign on Saturday with a clash against Sweden in a repeat of a 2019 World Cup semi-final.
The Dutch are reigning continental champions after lifting the lifting the trophy at Euro 2017 but face arguably the toughest test of anyone in the first round of games this time around, with Sweden the highest FIFA-ranked side at the tournament.
A Netherlands side featuring some of the best attacking players in the world is also among arguably five or six genuine contenders at a very open tournament and Parsons is ready to go straight in at the deep end with a big challenge in the first game.
“The biggest advantage is when you play a top opponent early is I don’t have to spend any words or energy on getting the group mentally prepared for the tournament,” he said.
“Apart from the numbers at Old Trafford [for the opener], I think everyone in football wants to see these two teams play and there’s a bit of history.
“We’re going to focus on ourselves, we respect Sweden, but we also see an opportunity and want to put ourselves in the best position.”
Those comments have been reflected by Dutch defender Dominique Janssen, who said, “I think it’s good to play against one of the toughest opponents because you have the most time to prepare for the first game. I think we’re going to be perfectly prepared for them.
“I’m excited, it’s good that we start against [Sweden].”
With both sides expected to qualify for the knockout stages, the victor when Netherlands face Sweden at Bramall Lane in Sheffield will go into the driving seat in Group C when it comes to topping the final standings and thinking about a path to the final.
Parsons is optimistic about his team’s chances overall, citing the sheer variety of attacking weapons he has at his disposal, built on a compact defensive foundation.
“We’ve got players who are good on the dribble, with passing, finishing, running in behind, standing and receiving [the ball] in between,” the coach explained.
“We’ve got a lot of different weapons and you’re going to see a team that tries to exploit the space that the opponent is giving. Everyone has a choice of defending – they’re going to stop you in some areas, which means it opens up others.
“Attacking flexibility and defending very, very compact – connected together. There have been times where the gaps [defensively] got bigger and we’ve struggled. The line can be higher or it can be lower, but when we are together and connected, we are very, very effective.”
For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!