Pro Sports

Dumfries scores as Netherlands tops Ukraine 3-2 at Euro 2020

Posted June 13, 2021 7:00 am

By MIKE CORDER

Netherlands supporters hold a placard referring to Denmark's Christian Eriksen before the Euro 2020 soccer championship group C match between Netherlands and Ukraine at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, June 13, 2021. (Piroschka van de Wouw/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

AMSTERDAM (AP) - Denzel Dumfries made up for an earlier mistake by heading in an 85th-minute winning goal Sunday, giving the Netherlands a 3-2 victory over Ukraine at the European Championship.

Dumfries missed an open header in the first half, but he converted when the team needed it most, heading in a cross from Nathan Ake only minutes after his team had squandered a two-goal lead.

The Dutch were playing in their first major soccer tournament in seven years. The last time was at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when they reached the semfinals.

Georginio Wijnaldum put the 1988 European champions in the lead in the 52nd minute, and Wout Weghorst made it 2-0 in the 59th.

But Ukraine captain Andriy Yarmolenko curled a shot over Maarten Stekelenburg in the 75th minute and Roman Yaremchuk dived in front of Weghorst to head in a free kick from the left four minutes later.

Ukraine, appearing in its third European Championship, has only won one match and has never progressed out of the group stage.

About 16,000 fans, all of whom had to show a negative COVID-19 test to get in, watched the Netherlands dominate the match at Johan Cruyff Arena until Ukraine's unlikely comeback.

The Netherlands will next face Austria on Thursday, while Ukraine plays North Macedonia in Bucharest. Austria beat North Macedonia 3-1 in an earlier Group C match.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Netherlands fans wait start the Euro 2020 soccer championship group C match between Netherlands and Ukraine at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, June 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Olaf Kraak, Pool) The Associated Press

Netherlands' Denzel Dumfries scores his side's third goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group C match between Netherlands and Ukraine at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, June 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Olaf Kraak, Pool) The Associated Press

Denzel Dumfries of the Netherlands, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group C match between the Netherlands and Ukraine at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, June 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool) The Associated Press

Denzel Dumfries of the Netherlands, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group C match between the Netherlands and Ukraine at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, June 13, 2021. (John Thys/Pool via AP) The Associated Press

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