In a dominant display, the Netherlands dismantled Malta with an impressive 8-0 victory during their UEFA World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday. This result not only maintains the Dutch team's perfect start to the qualifiers but also showcases their attacking prowess as they aim for a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

Memphis Depay opened the scoring early, converting a penalty after Justin Kluivert was fouled. He quickly added a second goal with a powerful shot from the edge of the box, bringing his tally to 50 international goals and matching the record set by Robin van Persie as the Netherlands’ all-time leading goalscorer. Captain Virgil van Dijk further extended the lead with a stunning long-range effort, putting the Dutch in command at 3-0 by halftime.

In the second half, the Netherlands continued to dominate, with goals from Xavi Simons, Donyell Malen (who scored twice), Noa Lang, and Micky van de Ven, culminating in a comprehensive rout of Malta. With this victory, the Netherlands sits second in Group G, just one point behind Finland, who leads the group with seven points.

Meanwhile, Poland faced a tough match against Finland, suffering a 2-1 defeat. This marked a difficult start for the Polish team following the announcement that star striker Robert Lewandowski would no longer participate under the current coach. Poland fell behind to a penalty by Joel Pohjanpalo and struggled to recover despite a late goal from Jakub Kiwior. The match was briefly interrupted due to a medical emergency in the crowd, adding to the challenges faced by the Polish side.

As the qualification campaign progresses, the Netherlands looks to build on this momentum, while Poland must regroup and address their struggles to remain competitive in Group G.