Netherlands beat Hungary 8-0 in 2027 World Cup play-off, Beerensteyn and Pelova hat-tricks
The Dutch women's team won the first leg in Felcsút on Friday evening, with Lineth Beerensteyn and Victoria Pelova each scoring three. The return in Tilburg on Tuesday will decide progress to the final play-off round against Turkey or Slovenia.
Favourites in a half-empty stadium
The Netherlands travelled to Felcsút, a village outside Budapest where former prime minister Viktor Orbán grew up. Orbán had a stadium built close to his house while he was prime minister, a venue Het Parool compared with the entrance of the Efteling theme park. Hungary's federation did not fill the 4,000 seats available, so the stands were largely empty. Coach Arjan Veurink was without Vivianne Miedema, Romee Leuchter and Daphne van Domselaar, and rested Renee van Asten and Jackie Groenen after their injuries. The Netherlands sit 35 places higher in the FIFA world rankings, according to NOS, and Veurink said before kick-off:
I think we owe it to our status to beat Hungary tonight.
Beerensteyn and Pelova open the match
In the 12th minute Lineth Beerensteyn scored after a pass from Damaris Egurrola, following a clever step-over by Victoria Pelova that unsettled the Hungarian defence. Two minutes later Beerensteyn struck again with a volley. Pelova made it 3-0 in the 26th minute with a shot that changed direction, and Esmee Brugts scored from a rebound to make it 4-0 before half-time. NOS reported that Brugts and Beerensteyn also hit the crossbar with headers before the break, and that Hungary struggled to cope with the Dutch positional switches.
- Lineth Beerensteyn opens the scoring for the Netherlands
- Beerensteyn volleys in the second goal
- Victoria Pelova makes it 3-0
- Esmee Brugts scores from a rebound for 4-0
- Damaris Egurrola heads in the 0-5
- Pelova scores 0-6
- Pelova completes her hat-trick with 0-7
- Beerensteyn scores the eighth goal
Second half and hat-tricks
Just over three minutes after the restart, Egurrola headed in the fifth goal. Pelova scored 0-6 after the hour and then 0-7, the second of which came from a weak Hungarian clearance, completing a hat-trick that Het Parool and NOS described as her first in the Dutch shirt. Beerensteyn added a late eighth goal, while an earlier header from her was ruled offside. Veurink made four changes after an hour, and Lotte Keukelaar created an immediate threat after coming on. Pelova lost her mother in May, and her teammates ran to her to congratulate her after the hat-trick.
Tilburg and the next round
The return leg takes place on Tuesday at 20:45 in Tilburg, according to Telegraaf. The second play-off opponent, Turkey or Slovenia, will be known on Tuesday, after the two sides drew 3-3 in their first leg on Friday. Veurink said the squad's depth gave him a luxury position, and he compared the present to earlier periods:
Five or six years ago you knew these would be very easy matches; I don't have that expectation now.
The second play-off is due in November and December, according to Telegraaf. The Netherlands had led their qualifying group after two matches against France in the spring, but lost that position after a defeat to Ireland and were then pushed into the play-offs.
