nederlandse voetbal

Poland vs. Netherlands: Lewandowski out to make the most of set pieces

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski is hopeful corners and free kicks can help make the difference at Euro 2016.

Robert Lewandowski hopes Poland can make the most of its strength from set pieces in Wednesday's international friendly against Netherlands as it steps up its preparation for Euro 2016.

Poland will meet Germany, Northern Ireland and Ukraine in Group C and the Bayern Munich striker believes details could be decisive in the team's attempts to reach the knockout stages.

National team coach Adam Nawalka has been busy creating set-piece variations over the past few days and Lewandowski thinks the Poland boss' attention to detail may make the difference.

"When it comes to set pieces, Poland might be even better than Bayern Munich," Lewandowski was quoted as saying by Przeglad Sportowy. "You can clearly see the coach's hand in it. Nothing happens by coincidence. We have set patterns that can earn us goals. We are not strong enough to just ignore the chance to do something extra from corners and free kicks. We do not create so many chances from open play that we can pass up the chance to make the most of our set pieces.

"We can make life much easier for ourselves this way."

Poland have been in sublime form in recent years, losing just once in its last 18 games, with Germany proving to be too strong in September 2015. It has since embarked on a seven-game unbeaten run.

Netherlands, meanwhile, will be using the encounter with Poland to prepare in the best way possible for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, having missed out on Euro 2016.

Danny Blind's men had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Republic of Ireland on Friday and the Oranje coach is ready to make a number of changes for Wednesday's meeting.

"The original plan was to make a number of changes for the friendly against Poland," Blind toldNOS. "I will not change the team in its entirety. But I could make three or four changes. Daley Blind is still struggling after picking up a knock in the FA Cup final. We won't take any risks with him.

"We have to be careful. These are important games for us, but still friendly games. We are not talking about a qualifier."

Netherlands and Poland have met 14 times since 1968, with the Dutch emerging victorious on five occasions, losing three times and drawing the remaining six. Poland last beat Netherlands in May 1979.

Ajax gaat oefenen tegen tweededivisionist

Davy Klaassen (m.) neemt zijn ploeg bij de hand en zorgt ervoor dat Ajax in de eerste helft van het duel met AZ op 2-0 komt. (28-02-2016)

Ajax gaat tijdens de voorbereiding op het seizoen 2016/2017 oefenen tegen tweededivisionist AFC. Het oefenduel met stadgenoot AFC staat op de planning voor dinsdag 12 juli.

Normaal gesproken vertrekt Ajax tijdens de voorbereiding op het nieuwe seizoen naar De Lutte, maar dat trainingskamp komt aankomend seizoen te vervallen. De Amsterdammers zullen op maandag 4 juli naar Mayrhofen te Oostenrijk vertrekken. 

Het oefenduel met AFC, dat zich wist te plaatsen voor de Tweede Divisie door als zesde te eindigen in de Topklasse Zondag, op 12 juli is voor Ajax niet het eerste oefenduel van het nieuwe seizoen. De Amsterdammers zullen op zaterdag 9 juli namelijk ook een oefenwedstrijd afwerken. De tegenstander op 9 juli is echter nog niet bekend.

Het eerste persmoment van Peter Bosz, die onlangs werd aangesteld als opvolger van Frank de Boer, is eveneens verplaatst. Wanneer het eerste persmoment van Bosz al plaatsvinden is vooralsnog onduidelijk.

PSV start pre-season 

campaign in Dongen

PSV will kick off their pre-season campaign with a friendly against amateur side VV Dongen on Saturday, 2 July. They will play the English Championship club Queens Park Rangers six days later.

VV Dongen
VV Dongen from the county of Brabant will host PSV at their ground in Dongen on Saturday, 2 July. It is the first time they will welcome PSV, after they met PSV U21 in a pre-season friendly in the summer of 2014

Queens Park Rangers 
Queens Park Rangers, managed by former Netherlands international Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, ended their Championship season with a twelfth-place finish. Their best known players are the Dutchmen Tjaronn Chery and Leroy Fer, who spent the second part of last season on loan with Premiership club Swansea City. They will play PSV during their pre-season tour to Holland at RKSV Driel on Friday, 8 July, kicking-off at 7pm.