Cody Gakpo became just the second player to open the scoring three times in the same FIFA World Cup (WC) Group Stage, as Netherlands defeated Qatar 2-0 to top Group A.
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The Netherlands needed just one point to progress, against a Qatar side already out of the WC and cemented in history as the worst-performing host nation of all time.
Daley Blind was the first to test Meshaal Barsham early on by forcing him to save at close range, as the Dutch looked to make it nine group stage progressions from as many post-war appearances.
With that strong start soon came yet another goal for Gakpo in the 26th-minute.
The forward drove into the area, before finding the bottom-right corner for his third goal of the tournament, while also becoming the first Dutch player ever to net in three group games during the same World Cup finals.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first, with the Netherlands taking just four minutes after the restart to kill the game.
Louis van Gaal’s men had time to put the ball past Barsham once again too, but VAR intervened to rule out Steven Berghuis’ finish due to a handball by Gakpo in the build-up.
