Seventy-one per cent possession and 19 shots usually point to control. For Netherlands, they only told half the story in Thessaloniki. Xavi Hernandez's side went 2-0 down, then recovered to draw 2-2 with Greece in Greece vs Netherlands, with Virgil van Dijk and Tijjani Reijnders leading the rescue after the break.

The comeback mattered, but so did the way it arrived. The Dutch had plenty of the ball all night, yet the match only really changed once the bench began to alter the tempo.

The half-time changes that flipped it

Xavi, quoted by goal.com, said: "His triple half-time substitution was a masterstroke. The tactical shift completely altered the momentum and ultimately salvaged a crucial result."

The wording is strong, but the flow of the game fits it. Netherlands had already dominated possession before the interval, yet Greece were 2-0 up through Fotis Ioannidis and G. Masouras. That is the uncomfortable part for the Dutch. They could circulate the ball, but they had not turned that control into security.

After the break, they looked more urgent and far less flat. Van Dijk pulled one back in the 59th minute, heading in from Joey Veerman's corner, and the pressure kept building from there. Denzel Dumfries even had a goal ruled out in the 66th minute, which showed Greece were already struggling to hold the same line they had defended in the first half.

Reijnders finished the job in the 89th minute. He came off the bench, scored the equaliser and ended the night as the Netherlands' highest-rated player with an 8.2. For a substitute to take over the game that late says plenty about where the momentum had gone.

BBC Sport's match report put it more simply: "Netherlands boss Xavi Hernandez made a triple substitution at half-time and it inspired a comeback in Thessaloniki."

Possession was not the same as control

This is where the draw becomes more interesting than a standard comeback story. Netherlands had 71 per cent possession, attempted 19 shots and still spent most of the night looking vulnerable whenever Greece broke their shape. That is a lot of attacking volume for a side that still needed a late intervention to avoid defeat.

Veerman's 103 passes help explain part of it. Netherlands moved the ball constantly and kept the game in Greece's half for long spells. Van Dijk, playing his 99th cap, also carried real weight in the second half, not just with the goal but with the push to keep attacks alive.

Still, the first half exposed a gap between territorial dominance and actual control. Greece did not need much of the ball to do damage, and that is why a 2-0 lead before the break never felt accidental. The Dutch response was strong, but it also came after they had created the problem for themselves.

Greece's missed chance in Thessaloniki

From Greece's side, this will feel like a missed opportunity more than a point gained. They were 2-0 up before half-time and had already dealt with an early disruption when Christos Tzolis went off injured in the 18th minute.

Holding out against a side with this much possession was always going to be difficult, but Greece had the match exactly where they wanted it at the interval. Once the Dutch changes increased the pace, the game moved away from them. By the end, they were hanging on and then finally beaten by Reijnders' late finish.

The standings still leave Greece top of Group A2 with seven points, while Netherlands are second with five. The result rescued the Dutch from a bad defeat, but it also left a clear point behind the drama: a team can have 71 per cent of the ball and 19 shots, and still need its bench to save the night.

FAQ

How did the Netherlands come back against Greece in Thessaloniki?

The Netherlands were 2-0 down at half-time before the game changed after the interval. They finished with 71 per cent possession and 19 shots, Virgil van Dijk scored in the 59th minute from Joey Veerman's corner, and Tijjani Reijnders equalised in the 89th minute after coming off the bench.

Why were the Netherlands still in trouble despite dominating possession against Greece?

They had 71 per cent possession and 19 shots, but that did not translate into control in the first half. Greece scored twice before the break through Fotis Ioannidis and G. Masouras, so the Netherlands were chasing the game despite having most of the ball.

Did Xavi's half-time changes make the difference for the Netherlands?

The evidence points that way. Xavi made a triple change at half-time, and the match shifted after that. Reijnders came off the bench to score the 89th-minute equaliser, while the second-half pressure also brought Van Dijk's goal and a disallowed effort for Denzel Dumfries.

What happened to Greece after taking a 2-0 lead over the Netherlands?

Greece were in a strong position after first-half goals from Fotis Ioannidis and G. Masouras, but they could not close the game out and had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Christos Tzolis had also gone off injured in the 18th minute, which forced an early change.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →