Netherlands v Turkey background
Monday, February 2, 2015
Article summary
The Netherlands and Turkey have both made disappointing starts in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group A, with ground to make up as they meet for an 11th time.
Article top media content
Article body
The Netherlands are looking to maintain a positive run of results against Turkey as the sides meet for the first time in UEFA European Championship game, with both sides off the pace in Group A.
Previous meetings
• The Netherlands' record in ten games against Turkey is W5 D3 L2; those games comprise six FIFA World Cup qualifiers (W4 D1 L1) and four friendlies (W1 D2 L1).
• Most recently, Louis van Gaal's Oranje beat Turkey 2-0 home and away in 2014 World Cup qualifying.
• The teams for their last Amsterdam ArenA meeting on 7 September 2012 were:
Netherlands: Krul*, Janmaat* (Van Rhijn* 46), Heitinga (Vlaar 86), Martins Indi*, Willems*, Clasie* (Fer* 50), Narsingh*, Strootman, Van Persie*, Sneijder*, Robben*.
Turkey: Tolga*, Kaldırım, Semih*, Emre* (Nuri 60), Hamit Altıntop*, Umut*, Tunay (Erdinç* 81), Arda*, Mehmet Topal*, Ömer*, Sercan (Burak Yılmaz* 70).
• Abdullah Avcı coached Turkey in this game; Fatih Terim was in charge for the reverse fixture.
*have been selected for UEFA EURO 2016 games.
Form guide
• The Netherlands have won both of their Group A home games to date but have lost both of their away fixtures, leaving them six points adrift of section leaders the Czech Republic. With just four points from their opening four matches, Turkey are a further two points off the pace.
• The Netherlands have won their last 19 competitive home contests since a 0-0 draw with Romania in Rotterdam on 24 March 2007. They have not lost a competitive fixture in the Netherlands since a 2-0 defeat by Portugal in World Cup qualifying in Rotterdam on 11 October 2000.
• Turkey have lost only one of their last five competitive away fixtures – 3-0 in Iceland in Group A.
Trivia and links
• The Oranje have never lost a UEFA European Championship qualifier or play-off as the home team (W42 D9) – though they did go down 2-1 to Luxembourg in Rotterdam in October 1963 when they were the nominal away side.
• Their only competitive reverse in Amsterdam to date came on penalties, to Italy in the UEFA EURO 2000 semi-finals after a 0-0 draw.
• Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder currently plays in Turkey for Galatasaray AŞ.
• Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink was Turkey coach from 2010 to 2011, resigning after failing to lead his side to the finals of UEFA EURO 2012.
