The Netherlands defeated Romania 3-0 with Nathan Ake’s assistance to go to the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship.

The City defender played for 68 minutes as his country easily won, starting at left back for Ronald Koeman’s team.

Just about twenty minutes had by when the Dutch took the lead, and Donyell Malen added a brace in the dying minutes to complete the score.

Cody Gakpo, who already has three goals at Euro 2024, opened the scoring for Holland with a powerful effort at the near post after cutting inside onto his preferred right foot.

.

A chance to extend Ake and company’s lead before the half was about to expire was presented by Xavi Simons, who missed a great opportunity to score as halftime drew near.

After the restart, Memphis Depay got even closer to the top spot when he was the first to a loose ball in the Romanian box, but Andrei Rațiu’s incredible late challenge killed the momentum of his effort from about eight yards out.

Just before the hour mark, Virgil Van Dijk’s header from a corner kissed the outside of the post, missing another good opportunity, but the Netherlands quickly found themselves up again.

And Ake was in the middle of the action, his flick-on from a right-wing cross creating havoc in the Romanian defensive.

Although Malen’s involvement from an offside position resulted in the goal being chalked off, the City defender jumped highest to knock down an attractive pass into Gakpo’s path, who blasted home.

With Koeman resting Ake ahead of their matchup with the final eight this weekend, it was one of our number six’s last performances in Munich.

Replace After picking up play in the Romania area, Joey Veerman—one of the players brought on during the play stoppage where Ake was replaced—nearly added a second goal with a curling effort that went agonisingly wide of the far post.

With just under ten minutes remaining, however, number two would finally arrive when Malen tapped into an empty net following Gakpo’s cut of the ball back into his path from the by-line.

Deep into stoppage time, the Borussia Dortmund winger increased his own goal total for the afternoon with a superb low finish after a quick counterattack.

The Netherlands’ resounding victory sets up a quarterfinal matchup with either Austria or Turkey, prior to their Round of 16 matchup on Tuesday night.

If Ake and company win that quarterfinal match, they will play either Switzerland or England in the last four.