Holland coach Ronald Koeman admitted he had no choice but to substitute Matthijs de Ligt at half-time after a mistake that cost him a goal.
The Manchester United defender made a mistake that cost his team a goal in the 5-2 win over Bosnia, and he made another mistake. When the Netherlands tried to build up from the back. But he made a mistake that was intercepted. By Jamal Musiala, leading to the equaliser in the 38th minute. Before being substituted at half-time, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Koeman, who had defended the Bosnia team after the game, admitted he had no choice but to substitute the player.
De Ligt was at fault for Joshua Kimmich’s goal on the stroke of half-time after he gave away possession in his own half. He also bore some responsibility for a missed tackle ahead of Germany’s first goal.
The 25-year-old joined United from Bayern Munich on Aug. 13 along with full-back Noussair Mazraoui. Sources have told http://ufabet999.app that the deal was worth a combined £60 million ($76.6m) including add-ons.
“You’d rather leave a player on the pitch. But I protected him,” Koeman told Dutch broadcaster NOS. “I don’t think the moment would have left his head for the rest of the game. He’s in a phase where such a mistake gets punished right away.”
De Ligt was also criticised in the wake of Netherlands’ opening Nations League A Group 3 match against Bosnia in Eindhoven on Saturday.
“Of course I would have preferred to keep Matthijs de Ligt on the pitch,” Koeman said.
“It seems like he is at a point now where when he makes a mistake he gets punished for it all.”
“I gave him another chance today, but in the end I protected him by taking him off the pitch.”