Denzel Dumfries “had his reasons” for sending off against Argentina

Denzel Dumfries has defended his action which led to his sending off after Netherlands were knocked out by Argentina on penalties at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Voetbal International reports.

For the second time in the World Cup, Oranje lost on penalties to Argentina – who done the same in 2014 in the semi-finals – during the quarter-final tie where there was plenty of discussion of the attitude and discipline on both sides than the football itself.

The match saw the most cards awarded in the history of the World Cup since it started in 1930 and it included Dumfries seeing red after the shootout. Oranje clawed back from a 2-0 deficit to equalise in the last minute thanks to a Wout Weghorst brace but it was not enough as the South American side secured a spot in semi-finals.

“You have the feeling a fairytale is emerging, but it ends with a disappointment. That’s all we can make of it,” Dumfries argued. “When you come back like that, you feel: you’re not going to give this away again. But then it comes down to penalties.”

Dumfries avoided his name entering the referee’s book until the penalty shootout when he received a yellow card and then the turmoil afterwards saw him receive a red card too.

“You know that Netherlands-Argentina is a heated game, that you will be challenged and there will be riots.”

Dumfries was quick to dismiss questions as to what exactly happened to lead to the Inter Milan defender receive a red card but insisted he had his reasons.

“You try to provoke each other, it goes back and forth. I was doing it myself. You try to do everything. So do they. I don’t like to point at other players, but I had my reasons. Whether that’s smart I don’t know, something happened that made me react.”

“You always have to remain a team and go home with your head held high. We are proud Dutchmen, we are proud to be playing for the Netherlands and we fought like lions and to the last breath. All kinds of emotions are shooting through my head now, the upcoming time I will look back. We would have liked to have stood with the World Cup.”

GBeNeFN | Tom Phillips

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