Malen’s Redemption: brace in substitute minutes, outshining Ronaldo in shots and goals. Second-highest rating on the team.

On the early hours of July 3rd, the UEFA Euro 1/8 finals continued with a clash between a traditional powerhouse and an underdog, as the Netherlands defeated Romania 3-0 to advance to the quarter-finals. Notably, Malen, who had previously struggled, came off the bench to score a brace, redeeming himself in the process.

In this edition of the Euros, the seventh-ranked Dutch team entered quietly, but their performance up until then was lackluster. In the final group match, with a draw securing the top spot, the Netherlands lost 2-3 to Austria, plummeting to third place and scraping into the round of 16.

In that match, 25-year-old Malen became the scapegoat, scoring an own goal just six minutes in, putting the Dutch in a difficult position. Malen, however, had a strong previous season, netting 15 goals and helping Dortmund reach the Champions League final after a 12-year absence. Although they ultimately lost 0-2 to Real Madrid, his contributions were still commendable.

Among the Dutch team, rich in top defenders but short on elite forwards, Malen was initially seen as a key player. But after two starts and one substitute appearance without goals or assists in the first three games, he lost the manager’s trust. Against Romania in the round of 16, Koeman opted for a front three of Gakpo, Depay, and Berghuis, leaving Malen on the bench.

Early in the second half, Malen replaced the unremarkable Berghuis, and he finally found his form:

In the 83rd minute, from a Dutch throw-in, Depay flicked the ball, Gakpo made a run, cut along the byline, and beat Dragos Grigore’s defense before sending a backheel pass to the goalmouth, where Malen slotted home, extending the lead to 2-0!

Trailing by two goals, Romania had no choice but to push forward, leaving space for the Dutch counterattacks.

In the 93rd minute, Malen received a pass from Simmons, dribbled down the left flank, surged into the box, skillfully shifted past a defender, and fired a low shot into the net, completing his brace.

Post-match statistics showed that Malen played 45 minutes, scoring twice, attempting four shots, making three successful dribbles, and boasting a passing accuracy of 93.8%. He won four of five duels, lost possession only five times, and was fouled once. Additionally, he provided two key passes and received a match rating of 9.1, second only to Gakpo’s 9.2.

With these two goals, Malen tied with Bellingham and moved up the scorers’ list, just one goal behind leaders Gakpo, Musiala, Mikuataze, and Schranz, keeping alive his hopes for the Golden Boot. Interestingly, Malen scored twice from only five shots, while Ronaldo, with 20 attempts, remains goalless, highlighting the difference in efficiency.