Czech Republic vs. Netherlands: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
The Netherlands will open their bid to qualify for Euro 2016 with a trip to the Czech Republic, where Guus Hiddink will look to build on the legacy of Louis van Gaal, who guided the Dutch squad to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup.
Group A looks like it could present the favourites with a tricky challenge, as Turkey, the Czech Republic and even Iceland will all like their chances of qualifying for the final tournament.
A good start is vital for the Dutch, and with several question marks surrounding the team, Tuesday's fixture should be a cracker.
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Date: Tuesday, September 9
Time: 7.45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Generali Arena, Prague
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on ESPN 2 (for U.S. viewers) and ITV 4 (for UK viewers), with mobile coverage available via the Watch ESPN app and the ITV Player app.
Preview
Hiddink got off to a false start in the Netherlands' friendly loss against Italy, as an early red card for Bruno Martins Indi all but ended Oranje's hopes of coming back from a 2-0 deficit.
The Dutch squad looked slow and uninspired in their new 4-3-3, and the defence struggled to contain the duo of Simone Zaza and Ciro Immobile. They found space to connect with balls over the top time and time again.
Fans were hoping to see Memphis Depay introduced at the half because the team was looking for an added attacking dimension. It never happened, but judging by Hiddink's comments on the PSV forward, as shared by Dutch Football, he could see some playing time against the Czechs:
"Hiddink, "Depay can be the best. He has more potential than I first thought."
— Dutch Football (@football_oranje) September 7, 2014"
Hiddink is desperate for a good start to his second tenure as manager of the national team to erase the memories of his previous spell. As shared by OptaJean's Stefan Coerts, his first attempt wasn't a rousing success:
The hosts didn't look particularly convincing in their 1-0 friendly loss against the U.S., although they had plenty of chances to score in the second half, with Nick Rimando putting together a heroic performance in goal for the Yanks.
In Petr Cech, they field one of the world's best and most experienced stoppers, and Tomas Rosicky was in fine form against the USA. The Arsenal midfielder will be tasked with pulling the strings in midfield for the Czechs, matching up against the mercurial Wesley Sneijder.
Sneijder struggled against the Italians, but he wasn't aided by a total lack of movement from the players around him. The Dutch played without a sense of urgency in the attacking third, and they won't be aided by the absence of Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, via Dutch Football:
"Guus Hiddink has confirmed that both Klaas jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben will miss Tuesday's game against the Czech Republic through injury
— Dutch Football (@football_oranje) September 6, 2014"
The Dutch's best bet for an offensive spark remains Depay, and if the youngster shows up to play, Oranje have the individual talent to get past a Czech team that no longer presents the threat it did four years ago.
The hosts will gladly settle for a draw against Group A's top-seeded team, knowing a spot in the top three will give them a chance to qualify for the final tournament. If the Dutch come out flat for a second match in a row, there's no reason the Czechs shouldn't like their chances.
