- The Netherlands scored a penalty soon after a Hungary coach had collapsed
- Dutch pundits turned on their own player for what they felt was a tasteless move
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A former Manchester United striker has been called out for celebrating like he had scored ‘the winning goal in a World Cup final’, moments after one of Hungary’s coaches collapsed on the sideline.
The UEFA Nations League clash in Amsterdam between the Netherlands and Hungary was suspended for 12 minutes when Hungary coach Adam Szalai collapsed, with those on the sidelines suspecting a seizure.
A medical tent was erected to treat Szalai in troubling scenes and while it was distressing for players, Hungary, led by Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai, elected to play on.
Controversy arrived almost immediately when the Netherlands won a penalty to put themselves 1-0 up.
Former Man United striker Wout Weghorst stepped up and scored, before rushing off to celebrate, a decision that saw him widely panned by pundits.
‘We get a penalty and it’s a very difficult situation,’ NOS pundit Rafael van der Vaart said. ‘When you score and celebrate like Wout Weghorst did, it really makes my stomach turn.’
A Netherlands striker was criticised for celebrating in light of a rival coach collapsing prior
Medical staff rushed to the aid of Hungary coach Adam Szalai in Amsterdam on Saturday night
A medical tent was erected around Szalai after he collapsed near the away team’s dugout
Van der Vaart continued: ‘You also see the other players following him and thinking: @oh, let’s just follow him.” This could have been [more restrained].
“Those guys (the players of Hungary) started to discuss and eventually they decided to continue playing. That is commendable, because you work very closely together. You also don’t know exactly what is going to happen.
“And then we play on, we get a penalty… We score it, and then you cheer as if you scored the winning goal in the World Cup final!.’
Dutch boss Ronald Koeman came to the defence of his striker, insisting that his striker must be happy to score the go-ahead goal.
‘He must be happy that he scored the penalty,’ Koeman said. ‘It’s easy to say you shouldn’t celebrate like that when they decided to continue the game.’
After the Netherlands’ 4-0 win, Weghorst addressed criticism of his celebration in the mixed zone.
‘I didn’t think about that [incident] for a second,’ he said.
‘The match continued and I was tense at that moment. During the break, I asked him how he was, and after the match we changed shirts in the Hungarians’ dressing room.
Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was seen crying on the pitch at the Johan Cruyff ArenA
Szalai was carried away on a stretcher before being taken to a nearby hospital in Amsterdam
Wout Weghorst, pictured while the game was suspended, defended his decision to celebrate
‘In hindsight, I understand the negative reactions, but it was just a relief on my part.’
Weghorst’s goal set the Netherlands on their way to victory, with Cody Gakpo, Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners also on the scoresheet.
That result means that the Netherlands will finish second in League A Group 3, ahead of Hungary in third.
But both sides still have one fixture remaining.
Hungary will host group winners Germany on Tuesday, while the Netherlands will travel to Zenica to face Bosnia and Herzegovina.
