[Archive 2015-10-14] Netherlands out of Euro 2016 as van Persie scores own goal against Czech Republic

Historical archive — originally published 2015-10-14. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Yesterday, the Netherlands football team crashed out of the UEFA Euro Cup 2016 after a 2–3 defeat against the Czech Republic in a qualifying match. Dutch player Robin van Persie scored an own goal.

The match was held in the Amsterdam ArenA in the Dutch capital. Turkey, Iceland and the Czech Republic qualified for the tournament from group A, Turkey defeating Iceland 1–0 to take third position.

The Dutch team, nicknamed Oranje, had 60% ball possession in front of the Czechs. The match saw six yellow cards and one red card. Four Dutch players were shown yellow cards. A total of 30 fouls were committed in the match, seventeen by the Dutch, and thirteen by the Czechs. Czech defender Suchý was sent off in the 43rd minute.

The first half saw two goals by the visitors, three yellow cards, and one red card. The first goal came in the 24th minute. Kaderábek, assisted by Skalák, scored. Tomáš Necid assisted for the second goal, Josef Šural scoring in the bottom left corner.

In the second half, Robin van Persie scored an own goal in the 66th minute, providing the visitors a 3–0 lead. The Dutch side won a corner in the 70th minute, from which Klaas-Jan Huntelaar reduced the goal difference with a header, assisted by Wesley Sneijder.

Later, in the 83rd minute, van Persie scored in the correct net, making it 2–3 for the Netherlands, assisted by Bas Dost. In the next minute, van Persie was booked for diving.

The match ended in a 2–3 loss for the Oranje, and they failed to qualify for the Euros for the first time since 1984. In order to qualify, the Dutch had to beat the Czechs and rely on Iceland to beat Turkey. A ten-man Turkish side defeated Iceland 1–0 and qualified for the tournament.

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