Stoppage-time leveller spares blushes for Dutch

AMSTERDAM: A stoppage-time equaliser attributed to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar rescued a 1-1 draw for the Netherlands against Turkey in Amsterdam in Euro 2016 qualifying Group A on Saturday night.
A deflected strike by Galatasaray forward Burak Yilmaz in the 37th minute handed the visitors the lead in the Dutch capital and looked set to inflict a damaging defeat on the hosts that would have increased the pressure on Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink.
However, Huntelaar’s goal in the second minute of injury time allowed the Dutch to extend an unbeaten record on home soil in competitive matches stretching back to October 2000.
Nevertheless, they were unable to record a 20th consecutive home win and remain third in qualifying Group A halfway through the campaign, five points behind second-placed Iceland, who won 3-0 in Kazakhstan.
Only the top two in each group are certain to qualify for next year’s finals in France, with the third-place finisher likely to go into a play-off.
As it stands the Netherlands, semi-finalists at last year’s World Cup, have much catching up to do and also remain just two points better off than Turkey, who were unlucky not to hold on for the win.