GIBRALTAR — It took awhile but the Netherlands eased to 7-0 victory over Gibraltar as group leader Turkey could only draw 3-3 with Latvia in World Cup qualifying Tuesday.
The Netherlands are second in Group G, a point behind Turkey. Norway beat Montenegro 1-0 in the group’s other match.
Gibraltar, ranked 195th in the world, kept the Netherlands largely at bay before the break but collapsed spectacularly in 10 second half minutes on the artificial turf of Victoria Stadium.
The Dutch had 19 shots before the break but only one of them beat the packed Gibraltar defense and goalkeeper Dayle Coleing, who made a series of saves including one with his face from a Memphis Depay volley.
Steven Berghuis finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute when a ball bounced fortuitously to his feet and he swept a first-time shot past Coleing.
The Gibraltar wall crumbled after the break as the Dutch scored four times in 10 minutes immediately after Daley Blind had been carried off the field on a stretcher with an ankle injury.
Luuk de Jong started the barrage with his third goal in as many Group G qualifiers before Depay, Georginio Wijnaldum and Donyell Malen — on as a substitute for Blind — scored in quick succession. Gibraltar then frustrated the Dutch for 20 minutes until substitute Donny van de Beek made it 6-0 and Depay scored his second.
“You are a bit disappointed because you missed a lot of good chances, but I think 7-0 is a good result,” Wijnaldum said.
In Istanbul, Turkey went up 2-0 in just over half an hour thanks to goals from Kenan Karaman and Hakan Calhanoglu before Roberts Savalnieks pulled a goal back for Latvia. Burak Yilmaz restored Turkey’s two-goal lead from the penalty spot before Roberts Uldrikis and Davis Ikaunieks scored for Latvia.
In Podgorica, Alexander Sorloth scored the only goal as Norway beat Montenegro 1-0.
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