Netherlands win Nations League group with skipper Virgil van Dijk's header

Captain Virgil van Dijk assisted in a second-half winner as the Netherlands beat neighboring Belgium 1-0 on Sunday to top their Nations League group and advance to next year's final tournament.

[{"selector":"#anim-0f1f5eb2-cf04-476c-8e79-276cd01fd9ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26818d3c-0abc-4827-8435-f2176d48d9de","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Van Dijk fired a header from a corner in the 73rd minute at the Amsterdam Arena on Sunday to ensure that the Dutch came out victorious in Ligue A Group Four.

[{"selector":"#anim-979a4d81-7761-4340-85c4-7fad4071e908","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5642ab87-c7aa-4229-9122-34ebb6427068","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

They finished with 16 points, six more than Belgium, who had a chance to leapfrog their neighbors and take first place.

[{"selector":"#anim-36a0cd09-9a1a-48f2-9c84-da13c22bfebd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb724bdc-f98c-44f1-8e33-dd0575eec581","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

But to do so, Sunday needed a win by three or more goals.

[{"selector":"#anim-6a5d4d24-3a82-4da9-b20b-3d8d531f74a5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ed866cd3-c2d9-4453-b08d-53cdd982b9b2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Any hopes of a round feast were quickly halted, however, as the two sides effectively repelled each other in a tight tactical battle.

[{"selector":"#anim-b35774e6-ce2e-4c22-978b-c7cd797bcaec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c33fcbfb-4285-421f-ad19-89ab7405191d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

While a five-man defense for the visitors meant there was little room for the home strikers.

[{"selector":"#anim-1cfe333e-6396-410c-b95d-2c3de45b9fe0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f50b566f-2dfa-4f86-824b-ab70419a1fec","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

That meant the winner came from a simple set piece, with Van Dijk leaping over his marker, 18-year-old Zeno Debast,

[{"selector":"#anim-a4e59627-5f88-43b5-adba-19fef0a7db33","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62770dc7-f66f-4646-9d8a-c565191a03a5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Thereby giving Louis van Gaal his 37th victory of the national team in his three spells, which equaled the record. A Dutch coach organized by Dick Advocate.

[{"selector":"#anim-9fe0cf93-6f4b-47de-9c8f-5db42c4998af","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-60269595-7fc3-4464-a5da-a1eff64671f0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]