PSV players score 4.5, but Lang and Reijnders shine in Greece

The Dutch national team held a draw against Greece (2‑2) on 1 October 2026 in Athens after a weak first half and a much better second half; the substitutes Noa Lang and Tijjani Reijnders received respective ratings of 7.5 and 7.5, while most PSV players only scored 4.5, reports journalist Mikos Gouka.

First half: defensive problems

Bart Verbruggen received a 6, but the ball flew past him three times before the break, once saved by the referee, and he later made a fine save from a shot by Konstantinos Karetsas. Denzel Dumfries scored 5.5; his first half fell far below his usual level, he complained about a disallowed goal by Christos Tzolis and missed a header duel with Giorgos Masouras. Jurriën Timber, who replaced Jan Paul van Hecke, also received 5.5 but left no crushing impression before the break and missed both the 1‑0 from Fotis Ioannidis and the 2‑0 from Giorgos Masouras. Virgil van Dijk, with a 6, was in his 99th cap and was virtually absent in the first half during Ioannidis's 1‑0, causing the defence to look weak before the break.

After the break there was little more for Verbruggen to do, while Dumfries found himself twice in a 2‑2 situation, both times offside. Timber was taken off in the closing stages for debutant Gjivai Zechiël. The first half was characterised by three missed chances and an overall defensive fragility.

Second half: Lang and Reijnders shine

Noa Lang, who played only seven minutes at the World Cup, came on as a substitute and scored a crucial goal; he hoped for a penalty, but his cross was saved by the Greek goalkeeper, and his rating of 7.5 reflects the first chance at revenge. Tijjani Reijnders, who replaced Guus Til halfway through the break, also delivered a 7.5 and helped the Dutch attack get going again, bringing the team back to a draw. Virgil van Dijk provided an important header that put the Dutch back on track, and Joey Veerman, the only midfielder that Xavi brought back after the break, received a 6 and improved his play with a casual pass to Manolas Saliakis.

Micky van de Ven, with a 6, struggled in the first half against the young Greek talent Karetsas, but after the break he delivered a trouble‑free 45 minutes of defensive work. Crysencio Summerville, who had been excluded by Dumfries before the break, gained more space after the interval and achieved a 6. Quinten Timber, who started alongside his twin brother Jurriën for the first time, received a 5 and left the field at half‑time.

Individual ratings: from low to high

All PSV players on the report received an average of 4.5, with Bart Verbruggen, Guus Til and Ruben van Bommel among the lowest rated. The rest of the squad, including Mexx Meerdink (5.5) and Ruben van Bommel (4.5), delivered modest performances. Lang and Reijnders, however, stood out with 7.5, making them the biggest individual performers of the evening.

The contrast between the low team ratings and the stand‑out performances of Lang and Reijnders shows that individual impact can make the difference, even when the collective struggles. The latest update from Mikos Gouka on 2 October 2026 confirms this assessment.