Netherlands vs Canada ended with Cody Gakpo scoring twice, including a late penalty that settled a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan. The result came after Uzbekistan had pulled level, and Netherlands finished with 10 men after Guus Til was shown a red card.
Gakpo And The Late Penalty
Gakpo converted from the spot with a right-footed shot to the bottom right corner after Jan Paul van Hecke drew a foul in the penalty area. Abdukodir Khusanov committed the foul that gave the Netherlands the chance, and the forward finished it to make the decisive difference.
Igor Sergeev had earlier brought Uzbekistan level, turning the match into a one-goal contest before the closing stages. The fourth official announced 5 minutes of added time, but Netherlands kept the lead and left the final minutes with little room for error.
Uzbekistan Pressures The Match
Uzbekistan forced several moments that kept the game tight. Utkir Yusupov saved a Crysencio Summerville attempt after Denzel Dumfries provided the assist, while Otabek Shukurov sent a direct free kick high and wide to the right.
Netherlands also had chances that did not become goals. Tijjani Reijnders saw a left-footed shot from the left side of the six-yard box blocked, and Brian Brobbey missed a close-range effort to the left.
Til’s Red Card Shapes Finish
Guus Til’s red card added another complication to a match already decided by narrow margins. Netherlands still held on after the penalty finish, and the final scoreline reflected how little separated the two sides once Uzbekistan had answered back.
The 2-1 result leaves the late penalty as the central swing point of the match. Gakpo’s finish from the spot turned a level game into a win, and the sending-off made the closing stretch more fragile than the score alone suggests.
