KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brian Brobbey scored his third goal of the World Cup, the Netherlands got a pair of goals that deflected off Tunisia into its own net, and the Dutch rolled in the rain to a 3-1 victory Thursday night to advance to the knockout stage as the winners of Group F.
The Netherlands began the day tied atop the group with Japan. But when the Samurai Blue could only manage a draw with Sweden in Arlington, Texas, it left Virgil van Dijk
and his teammates looking forward to a matchup with Group C runner-up Morocco on Monday — and Japan with the heavy task of playing powerhouse Brazil in the Round of 32.
Tunisia, which sacked its coach after a loss to open the World Cup, had already been eliminated from the tournament.
The Eagles of Carthage gave the Dutch the lead in the second minute when captain Ellys Skhiri's sloppy clear found the back of their own goal. Brobbey made it 2-0 in the seventh minute and, after Tunisia clawed back in the second half on a goal by Hazem Mastouri, Jan Paul van Hecke’s header off a corner glanced off Anis Slimane and into the Tunisian net to make it 3-1.
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