The question for the Netherlands after the group stage at Euro 2020 was whether it had just benefited from a straightforward draw or whether the pre-tournament predictions of chaos had been overblown. Sunday's 2-0 defeat to the Czech Republic in the round of 16 provided the answer. The dismissal of Matthijs De Ligt early in the second half was a major factor, but a disciplined and physically imposing Czech Republic side had rattled the Dutch long before that.
The red card should not be used as an excuse. Rather, the Oranje went out because they didn’t have the wit to break down the Czech defense, and because defensively they looked vulnerable to crosses and never seemed to work out a way of stopping deliveries into the box.