Netherlands 7-0 Greece: Reijnders hits hat-trick in Nations League rout

Tijjani Reijnders netted a hat-trick as the Netherlands closed in on a place in the Nations League quarter-finals by thrashing Greece 7-0 at Johan Cruijff ArenA.

Xavi's side blew the previously unbeaten Greece away as they scored five goals in the first half before they piled on more misery after the break to move three points clear at the top of Group A2 with one game remaining.

It took just six minutes for the Netherlands to break the deadlock, with Konstantinos Mavropanos' poor interception rolling straight to Crysencio Summerville, who picked out the bottom-left corner.

Just six minutes later, the hosts had a second, with Joey Veerman sliding it through for Reijnders, who emphatically rifled into the roof of the net from the left of the six-yard box.

His second came in the 18th minute after Greece failed to properly clear a corner, and when it was recycled, Donyell Malen picked out Reijnders to poke it in from close range.

Greece thought they had found a way back into the game when Bart Verbruggen slipped, and Fotis Ioannidis rounded him before slotting into an empty net, but Micky van de Ven's interception in front of the goalkeeper bounced off the forward's hand, ruling out the goal.

Reijnders completed his hat-trick 33 minutes in, pouncing on Denzel Dumfries' knockdown to fire in off the underside of the crossbar, before Jurriën Timber slotted in from yards out five minutes before the break.

The Netherlands eased some of the pressure in the second half, but added to their tally in the 59th minute with an unmarked Timber getting a second by turning into an empty net.

And Malen ended his international goal drought in the 62nd minute, whipping a first-time effort past Konstantinos Tzolakis after being picked out by Dumfries.

Summerville almost added more late gloss to the scoreline after skipping past two challenges into the box, but Tzolakis punched his effort away.

Xavi gets the Netherlands attack purring

There were worries that the Netherlands would struggle without captain Virgil van Dijk and forward Brian Brobbey, with the pair both injured.

However, the Netherlands put on a thoroughly convincing display against Greece, who had proven tough to beat and break down during the first four matches, as they won two and drew two.

But Ivan Jovanovic's side were not at the races in the first half, with this the first time since September 2001 that they have conceded five goals in a game.

It also marked the first time since then that the Netherlands have scored five goals before half-time. They were clinical, having 11 shots, with eight of those on target, as they overperformed their 3.48 expected goals (xG) before the break.

Reijnders is also the first Netherlands player to score a first-half hat-trick since Marco van Basten against Malta in December 1990, and he scored with all of his shots.

Greece showed flashes of the side that went unbeaten against Germany (W1 D1) in the last international break, and that drew 2-2 with the Netherlands in the reverse fixture, but they could not get going on a day that could have seen them confirmed as Group A2 winners if they had triumphed.

But both sides are still in with a chance of finishing in the top two. The Netherlands are now in control, but Germany's win means their fate still rests on a final-day clash with Jürgen Klopp's side. Greece, meanwhile, will face Serbia knowing a win could be enough to see them through.