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Cody Gakpo became the first Dutch player to score in his first three World Cup gamesIn-form Cody Gakpo scored again as the Netherlands finished top of Group A, ending Qatar's miserable involvement at their home World Cup with a third consecutive defeat.
Qatar's dismal showing means they became the first host nation to exit the tournament with three group-stage losses, finishing bottom with no points.
The Dutch, who failed to qualify four years ago, progress to the last 16 with an unbeaten record and face the team that finishes second in Group B - those games kick-off at 19:00 GMT.
African champions Senegal beat Ecuador to clinch second place and face the team that finishes top of Group B in the knockout stage.
PSV Eindhoven winger Gakpo has now scored the opening goal in all three of the Netherlands' group games, driving forward and rasping a finish into the bottom corner on this occasion.
Qatar looked to hit back immediately but Ismaeel Mohammad's shot on the stretch from outside the area was straight at Andries Noppert.
But Louis van Gaal's men scored at the start of the second half to quash any Qatari hopes of a comeback as Frenkie de Jong poked into a open net after Memphis Depay's shot was saved.
The Dutch could have won by more, as Steven Berghuis had a goal ruled out and also hit the crossbar.
- Relive Netherlands' victory over Qatar
- Fifa World Cup: Groups and schedule
- World Cup TV coverage guide
Gakpo going places
Three-time finalists the Netherlands watched on from home four years ago but are making up for lost time by reminding people of their qualities.
The spine running through their side is a formidable one, marshalled at the back by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk - their captain - pass master De Jong in the centre of the park and cool finisher Gakpo up top.
And the 23-year-old PSV player's stock continues to rise after finishing off a team move from Davy Klaassen's lay-off to become the first Dutch player to net in his first three World Cup games.
Gakpo has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United and his price tag will be sure to increase with each impressive performance on the global stage.
For club and country, he continues a remarkable season and has now been involved in 35 goals in 29 games - netting on 17 occasions and providing 18 assists.
With a group of boisterous Qatar fans behind the goal looking to rouse their team in the second half, De Jong - who himself could have moved to Old Trafford last summer - shattered any expectations by poking in his first World Cup goal on 49 minutes.
It could have been worse for the hosts but Berghuis had a goal disallowed for handball by Gakpo in the build-up and the substitute's curling effort struck the bar on a very comfortable evening for the Dutch.
Qatar had actually started the brighter, as captain Hassan Al-Haydos' long-range strike was gathered by Noppert, while Pedro Miguel volleyed over from a corner.
As well as three consecutive defeats in their first World Cup, Qatar also conceded seven goals, the most by a host nation in the group stages.
With the number of teams increasing from 32 to 48 for the next finals in 2026, Qatar can put this wretched campaign behind them and look forward to trying to qualify in their own right in four years' time.
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Netherlands
Squad number23Player nameNoppert
Squad number2Player nameTimber
Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
Squad number5Player nameAké
Squad number22Player nameDumfries
Squad number15Player namede Roon
Squad number21Player namede Jong
Squad number17Player nameBlind
Squad number14Player nameKlaassen
Squad number8Player nameGakpo
Squad number10Player nameDepay
Squad number11Player nameBerghuis
Squad number18Player nameJanssen
Squad number19Player nameWeghorst
Squad number20Player nameKoopmeiners
Squad number24Player nameTaylor
Qatar
Squad number22Player nameMeshaal Barsham
Squad number17Player nameIsmaeel Mohammad
Squad number2Player namePedro Miguel
Squad number16Player nameKhoukhi
Squad number3Player nameAbdelkarim Hassan
Squad number14Player nameHomam Ahmed
Squad number10Player nameHassan Al Haydos
Squad number23Player nameAssim Madibo
Squad number6Player nameAbdulaziz Hatem
Squad number19Player nameAlmoez Ali
Squad number11Player nameAkram Afif
Squad number7Player nameAhmed Alaa
Squad number8Player nameAli Asad
Squad number9Player nameMuntari
Squad number12Player nameBoudiaf
Squad number13Player nameMusaab Khidir
Line-ups
Netherlands
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 23Noppert
- 2Timber
- 4van Dijk
- 5AkéBooked at 52mins
- 22Dumfries
- 15de RoonSubstituted forKoopmeinersat 83'minutes
- 21de JongSubstituted forTaylorat 86'minutes
- 17Blind
- 14KlaassenSubstituted forBerghuisat 66'minutes
- 8GakpoSubstituted forWeghorstat 82'minutes
- 10DepaySubstituted forJanssenat 66'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Pasveer
- 3de Ligt
- 6de Vrij
- 7Bergwijn
- 9de Jong
- 11Berghuis
- 12Lang
- 13Bijlow
- 16Malacia
- 18Janssen
- 19Weghorst
- 20Koopmeiners
- 24Taylor
- 25Simons
- 26Frimpong
Qatar
Formation 5-3-2
- 22Barsham
- 17MohammadSubstituted forDjebril Mohamedat 85'minutes
- 2Carvalho Deus Correia
- 16Khoukhi
- 3Al Haj Fadlalla
- 14Ahmed
- 10Al HaydosSubstituted forThaimn Qambarat 64'minutes
- 23Al Haj MadiboSubstituted forBoudiafat 64'minutes
- 6Mohammed AbdullahSubstituted forAbdelmotaalat 85'minutes
- 19AbdullaSubstituted forMuntariat 64'minutes
- 11Afif
Substitutes
- 1Al Sheeb
- 4Jadoua Al Bayati
- 5Odeh
- 7Abdelmotaal
- 8Thaimn Qambar
- 9Muntari
- 12Boudiaf
- 13Djebril Mohamed
- 18Mazeed
- 20Al Hajri
- 21Ali
- 24Al Hadhrami
- 25Abdulsallam
- 26Meshaal
Referee:Bakary Gassama
Attendance:66,784
Live Text
Match ends, Netherlands 2, Qatar 0.
Second Half ends, Netherlands 2, Qatar 0.
Foul by Wout Weghorst (Netherlands).
Musaab Khidir (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Steven Berghuis (Netherlands) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Wout Weghorst.
Foul by Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands).
Akram Afif (Qatar) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands).
Mohammed Muntari (Qatar) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Pedro Miguel (Qatar) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Akram Afif.
Foul by Wout Weghorst (Netherlands).
Abdelkarim Hassan (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Netherlands. Kenneth Taylor replaces Frenkie de Jong.
Substitution, Qatar. Musaab Khidir replaces Ismaeel Mohammad.
Substitution, Qatar. Ahmed Alaa replaces Abdulaziz Hatem.
Offside, Netherlands. Teun Koopmeiners tries a through ball, but Wout Weghorst is caught offside.
Substitution, Netherlands. Teun Koopmeiners replaces Marten de Roon.
Substitution, Netherlands. Wout Weghorst replaces Cody Gakpo.
Daley Blind (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mohammed Muntari (Qatar).
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