Quincy Promes leads Netherlands to friendly win in Morocco

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:43 am

VI Images via Getty Images

VI Images via Getty Images

AGADIR, Morocco -- Quincy Promes scored one goal and set up another as 10-man Netherlands beat Morocco 2-1 in a friendly Wednesday.

The Spartak Moscow winger opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, before crossing for Vincent Janssen, who struggled to find the net throughout his first season at Tottenham, to score a morale-boosting goal in the 68th.

After 17-year-old defender Matthijs de Ligt was sent off for bringing down Walid Azarou, Amsterdam-born Mbark Boussoufa cut the lead from a 72nd-minute free kick.

With new Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat still leading Turkish club Fenerbahce and yet to join the national team, it was the second match in charge for caretaker coach Fred Grim.

If Advocaat watched the match on television, he will have seen there is plenty to do to get the Netherlands in shape to qualify for next year's World Cup in Russia. The Dutch currently are fourth in Group A, with only the winner guaranteed a World Cup berth.

Chelsea defender Nathan Ake made his debut for the Netherlands, while midfielder Wesley Sneijder came on as a second-half substitute for his 129th cap, one short of Dutch record international Edwin van der Sar.

The Netherlands face Ivory Coast on Sunday in Rotterdam and play Luxembourg on June 9 in a World Cup qualifier.