Dutch hope for Turkey error to qualify for European football
Turkey’s 2-0 win over the Czech Republic at the weekend means the Netherlands is almost certain to be missing from next year’s European football championships.
Oranje, third at the World Cup just over a year ago, can only qualify if Turkey lose at home to group A leaders Iceland on Tuesday.
The Dutch beat Kazakhstan in Astana 2-0 on Saturday but their fate hinges on the final Group A matches this week.
The Netherlands host the Czech Republic, number two in Group A, on Tuesday but need Turkey to slip up in order to make the third place play-offs.
UEFA expanded the size of the European Championships from 16 to 24 teams for the first time next year, making the pending Dutch failure more noteworthy.
If Oranje fail to qualify, Dutch supermarkets will lose tens of millions of euros in extra turnover, market research bureau GfK said last month. Advertisers also spend less on football-themed campaigns.
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