BETTING GUIDE: Netherlands Vs Lithuania, match preview, team news and betting tip
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Reading Time: 5min | Sun. 16.11.25. | 12:07
With the campaign reaching its climax and Oranje sitting three points clear at the top of Group G, this final fixture presents Ronald Koeman’s side with an opportunity to confirm their place without relying on other results
The Netherlands are on the verge of securing an automatic qualification spot for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as they prepare to host Lithuania in Amsterdam on Monday.
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With the campaign reaching its climax and Oranje sitting three points clear at the top of Group G, this final fixture presents Ronald Koeman’s side with an opportunity to confirm their place without relying on other results.
Their fate is firmly in their own hands: a single point will mathematically seal top spot, while even a defeat would require an extraordinary goal-swing from Poland for the Dutch to be displaced.
Lithuania, meanwhile, come into this match with their qualification hopes long extinguished.
Sitting bottom of the group, and needing both a miracle win and a favourable Malta result to avoid finishing last, their focus now lies more on pride and development rather than progression.
The Netherlands’ 1-1 draw away to Poland on Friday delayed confirmation of their qualification, but it did little to shake the stability and momentum their campaign has gathered.
Falling behind just before halftime, Oranje responded instantly after the break through Memphis Depay, who salvaged a crucial point.
That result extended their unbeaten run in competitive matches inside 90 minutes to over a year, a stretch that highlights Koeman’s growing consistency with a squad evolving into a dynamic, attacking blend around senior leaders like Virgil van Dijk.
Their home form further reinforces their dominance: the Dutch have not lost a match on home soil since October 2023, winning eight and drawing three in the period since.
With one of the strongest defensive records in European WCQ and a frontline capable of multi-goal performances, they arrive in Amsterdam with confidence, control, and the qualification narrative firmly aligned in their favour.
Lithuania’s situation is the complete opposite.
Their winless run in World Cup qualifying (3 draws, 4 defeats) has long confirmed their elimination, and their form across all competitions paints an even bleaker picture.
Thursday’s 0-0 friendly draw against Israel extended their winless streak to 16 matches in all competitions - a sequence that underscores both their attacking limitations and tactical inconsistencies.
Away from home, Lithuania have been particularly vulnerable, losing six of their last seven matches on their travels, with defensive lapses and lack of midfield control repeatedly costing them.
Even so, their effort and resilience in their previous encounter with the Netherlands in September - where they battled valiantly in a narrow 3-2 defeat - will give them a small measure of confidence.
But realistically, they enter this fixture heavily outmatched and with little more than pride to play for.
Ronald Koeman is expected to field a strong Dutch lineup, with only minor changes anticipated following the draw against Poland.
Jan Paul van Hecke’s late yellow card suspension removes one defensive option, but the core squad remains intact.
Tijjani Reijnders is pushing for a start in the No.10 role after coming off the bench in Warsaw, while Xavi Simons is another candidate for the starting XI, especially with Justin Kluivert and Donyell Malen offering variable outputs in the wide roles.
Virgil van Dijk is set to marshal the defence once again, while Depay remains central to the attack with his link-up play and scoring threat.
Injured forward Wout Weghorst remains unavailable, but the Dutch attacking depth should still be sufficient to control this match from start to finish.
Lithuania also face a selection headache with the suspension of defender Edvinas Girdvainis, although he was not part of the November squad.
The national team celebrated a significant milestone last week when captain Fedor ÄŒernych became their most capped player of all time with his 102nd international appearance.
His leadership and ability to drift into advanced attacking positions will be important if Lithuania hope to create anything in Amsterdam.
Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis is another bright spot in an otherwise struggling side, offering composure and work rate in midfield.
Yet despite these individual elements, Lithuania have lacked cohesion, and with little to play for besides avoiding a bottom-place finish, they approach this fixture with less structure and far fewer expectations than their hosts.
The tactical battle is expected to be one-directional.
The Netherlands will dominate possession, stretch Lithuania in wide areas, and rely on quick combinations through midfield to create constant pressure.
Their home games in qualifying have consistently produced multi-goal outputs, and the rhythm of their attacking patterns - high fullbacks, aggressive pressing, and sustained pressure - should pin Lithuania deep throughout.
Lithuania, by contrast, will likely settle into a compact defensive block, hoping to frustrate Oranje and strike on rare counter-attacking opportunities.
Their biggest threats will come from set pieces or transitional moments, but sustaining pressure or controlling phases of the match appears unlikely given their recent form and inferior technical quality.
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With the Dutch playing with the motivation of sealing qualification and Lithuania’s long-standing issues defending away from home, this fixture tilts overwhelmingly in favour of the hosts.
The Netherlands’ proficiency at home, their unbeaten form, and Lithuania’s inability to win matches or defend consistently all point to a comfortable Dutch victory.
Goals are likely given the Dutch attacking depth and Lithuania’s defensive fragility, while Oranje’s push to settle the qualification debate early should set the tone from the opening minutes.
Key Pointers
The Netherlands are unbeaten in 11 straight matches inside 90 minutes and have not lost at home since October 2023.
Lithuania are winless in 16 matches across all competitions and have lost six of their last seven away games.
The only previous meeting ended 3-2 to the Netherlands, with goals in both halves - consistent with Oranje’s trend of scoring early and late.
Lithuania have conceded in five of their last seven WCQ away matches and rarely score before halftime.
With qualification on the line, superior form, home advantage, and Lithuania’s poor defensive record, the Netherlands are expected to dominate.
Prediction: Over 2.5 Goals & Netherlands to Win also Netherlands to score both halves
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