Jong Oranje chases last European Championship chance

Jong Oranje must beat Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday to keep their 2027 European Championship play-off hopes alive.

Driving the news: The Dutch under-21 team kicks off their final qualifier in Doetinchem at 18:45, sitting one point behind second-placed Israel.

The qualification math:

• Michael Reiziger's team must win, because Israel holds the head-to-head tiebreaker following a 2-2 draw in Venlo and a 3-1 loss.
• Israel plays group winners Norway simultaneously and controls their own fate with a victory.
• The Netherlands can only advance if they win and Israel fails to beat Norway.

Context: Reiziger stated that his squad was superior throughout the qualifying campaign and found it strange that they missed out on first place.

What is next: Finishing second earns a two-legged play-off tie for one of four spots at the finals in Albania and Serbia, where Turkey and Czechia are already confirmed participants.

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