Netherlands head coach, Ronald Koeman, and captain, Virgil van Dijk, expressed disappointment after Xavi Simon’s goal was disallowed in the Netherlands’ goalless draw with France on Friday.
The midfielder believed he had given his team the lead in the 69th minute after capitalizing on Memphis Depay’s saved shot and slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
However, a lengthy VAR check led to the goal being ruled out as Denzel Dumfries was deemed to be blocking Mike Maignan from reaching the ball.
The Oranje were unhappy with the decision at the time, and their frustration continued after the match, with Koeman insisting they should have secured all three points.
“I think Dumfries is in an offside position, that’s true, but he isn’t impeding the goalkeeper, and when that’s the case, then it’s a legitimate goal,” Koeman said.
“You need five minutes to review it because it’s so complex? I don’t understand. He’s not interfering with the goalkeeper. I believe the goal should have stood.
“I spoke with the referee, and he mentioned it was offside, but I watched the clip regarding the offside. After that, I formed my opinion about the legitimate goal, but that was in the dressing room.”
A victory would have guaranteed the Netherlands a spot in the last 16 with a game to spare.
Although four points are likely to be enough to progress, their final group match against Austria on Tuesday will determine their final standing in the group.
Van Dijk shared his coach’s frustration over the VAR decision but remained positive about the result.
“In my view, Xavi Simons’ disallowed goal was a valid one,” said Van Dijk. “But one point is a bonus; we have to be realistic.
“We’re facing France, so it’s not surprising to encounter difficulties during some phases of the match. The fighting spirit we displayed is very encouraging.
“We now have four points, and we look ahead to Tuesday’s match against Austria. We tried to stay organized at the back and still pose a threat on the counter.
“We came close a few times, but our execution wasn’t precise. We didn’t lose, and we still control our destiny.”
