clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Netherlands score 8 on awful Hungary which is clearly Adam Bogdan's fault

The title is sarcastic, people.

Scott Heavey

Adam Bogdan's World Cup dream is fading and fast. Hungary traveled to the Amsterdam Arena to take on Holland in a crucial qualifying match with the Netherlands slipping quickly. In the reverse fixture, it was Holland putting four past Hungary in Budapest. This time around, they doubled that total as the Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper was largely left out to dry.

Holland opened the scoring through Robin van Persie on 16 minutes with a header from 10 yards out following a forward ball from Arjen Robben.

Nine minutes later, it was Kevin Strootman, who was able to head home from the center of the area in what would become a recurring theme for Hungary. Nine minutes after that, on the 38 minute mark, it was Jermaine Lens, the man who assisted Strootman's goal, with a lot shot from the center of the area.

Robin van Persie would then double up with another header from (shock) the center of the area following an Arjen Robben cross from the flank to make it 4-0 on the stroke of halftime.

Just two minutes after the break, Hungary pulled one back after they were awarded a penalty after Jeffrey Bruma handled the ball in the area.  Balázs Dzsudzsák converted the chance for Hungary's only goal of the match.

Then, Robin van Persie struck once more with another shot from, you guessed it, the center of the area. Arjen Robben assisted him again in previously unheard-of circumstances.

If you lost count, that's 5-1 and Holland were not done. Hungary would help make it six after Szilard Devesceri scored an own goal on 65 minutes before Rafael van der Vaart made it seven from a free kick. Arjen Robben would score one for himself just before the final whistle, finding the top corner from a free kick to make it 8-1, the final.

There's no doubt that Adam Bogdan's detractors will find lots of faults in his performance and perhaps even call for his immediate expulsion from the Trotters' starting lineup but given his recent form (two goals conceded in three matches for Wanderers) and the fact that he was completely let down by his defense in this one, it's a silly argument to make. There is no denying the class of the Netherlands when they're not fighting amongst each other and it was fully on show here. The result certainly won't do much for Bogdan's confidence but he's been there before and has bounced back.

Hungary's dream isn't mathematically dead at the moment since they sit two points (and two spots) back of second place Turkey. If Hungary can beat Andorra on Tuesday with Romania losing to Estonia and Turkey falling to the Netherlands, Adam Bogdan's side can make the play-off stage of qualifying. If not, their dream is dead.