Virgil van Dijk never had any doubts over the Netherlands in their Euro 2024 quarter-finals, in which they moved "one step closer" with a comeback victory over Turkiye.
The Oranje fell behind to Samet Akaydin's 35th-minute opener as Turkiye scored their fourth Euro 2024 goal form a defender, the most by any nation in a single edition of the European Championship.
Yet Stefan de Vrij levelled with a thumping 70th-minute header, his first international goal since March 2015 against Spain, before Mert Muldur bundled into his own net just six minutes later.
That secured a Euros sem-final clash with England on Wednesday as the Netherlands reached the last four at this competition for the first time since 2004.
Dutch captain Van Dijk, however, expected his side to manage so.
"You know they're going to take a lot of risks, but now we're in the semi-finals," Van Dijk told reporters.
"This is very important and very beautiful, with such a crowd. We knew there would be a lot of Turks in the stadium, but I'm proud of these guys.
"In the end we got sloppy, but actually we didn't give anything away. In the second half, we had to stay calm and take advantage of our chances.
"Of course, we thought it would be fine, it would be very bad if we didn't think so! We are one step closer. We can get to work."
This was the only Euros quarter-final clash to not go to extra time, though that looked likely when De Vrij levelled from Memphis Depay's angled cross.
"It was a great ball from Memphis and I was free, and I was convinced I had to put it in," De Vrij added in his post-match interview.
"Initially we were sloppy, with too much loss of ball possession. They pushed us back and then we went behind to the header from a corner, but we kept believing.
"You've seen in other games that goals can come late. And so it came for us too."
Slot lauds Liverpool's second-half turnaround after being 'outplayed' by Brighton
Arne Slot commended Liverpool's second-half comeback, but acknowledged his side were "outplayed" in the opening 45 minutes of their 2-1 win against Brighton.
Just 128 seconds separated Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah's goals after Ferdi Kadioglu had given the Seagulls a 14th-minute lead with a stunning finish.
The Reds could have found themselves further behind in the first half, with Brighton squandering several opportunities to increase their advantage at Anfield.
Caoimhin Kelleher came to Liverpool's rescue to deny Georginio Rutter after he had been picked out by Yasin Ayari's searching pass in behind Virgil van Dijk.
Danny Welbeck then curled a free-kick narrowly wide before sending another set-piece close, with Brighton ending the half in the ascendency. The Seagulls registered seven shots to Liverpool's five, while also accumulating a 0.78 expected goals (xG) tally compared to the Reds' 0.71 before the break.
"We needed another second-half performance because we were outplayed in the first half. They were better on the ball, more aggressive without the ball," Slot said.
"Then, everything changed in the second half because it was completely the opposite.
"Our attackers scored the goals but the main difference was we were better positioned and we had the ball a lot more.
"Without the ball they made problems for us but in the second half we just kept running."
The win was Slot's eighth in the Premier League, the most of any Liverpool boss in their first 10 top-flight games.
But the difference proved to be in the Dutchman's substitutes, with both goals coming after the introductions of Luis Diaz and Curtis Jones.
Jones set up Salah for the winning goal, a strike Slot described as "special" in his post-match assessment.
"I was waiting for us to score the goal, but we didn't. That's why I made the substitutions. Both of them came on really strong," Slot continued.
"Then you can say it's a bit of luck, but the goalkeeper cannot react. The second goal was a Mo Salah special.
"It's not the first and not the last time he will score from that position."
Salah's curled finish was his 48th match-winning goal in the Premier League, with only five players netting more in the competition’s history.
The Egyptian also tallied up his 16th goal involvement (10 goals, six assists) against Brighton, only managing more in the top-flight against Manchester United (18).
Salah's latest contribution sent Liverpool top of the pile after Arsenal and Manchester City's losses, though captain Van Dijk was not getting carried away with their league position.
"It's too early to even make it important. We want to be on top of the league but we want to be there after the last match in May," Van Dijk told Sky Sports.
"The results have been good so far this season but there is a long way to go.
"It is still a work in progress. We stay humble and keep fighting."
Barcelona boss Flick calls for LaLiga suspension after Spanish floods
Barcelona are in high spirits ahead of Sunday's derby against Espanyol, though Hansi Flick does not think LaLiga matches should be played this weekend.
Barca thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu last weekend to establish a six-point lead in LaLiga but their city rivals Espanyol are 20 points behind and languishing in 17th place, a point above the relegation zone.
Yet Flick feels it is wrong that LaLiga is playing on in the wake of the flash floods that have devastated regions of eastern Spain, with Valencia particularly impacted.
Madrid's game against Valencia was naturally postponed, but most other fixtures in Spain's top tier are going ahead.
"If it were me, I might [suspend LaLiga] because it is an incredible tragedy for Valencia and Spain as a whole," Flick said.
"We have spoken with Ferran [Torres] who is from the area, and it is not easy to decide whether the game should be played or not.
"It is a tragedy. It was something similar in Germany three years ago, it is horrible. We will do everything we can to help. The rest is for LaLiga to decide."
Barca do hold a brilliant record against Espanyol, having not lost in their last 26 encounters with their city rivals.
Flick, though, warned his side against any complacency.
"I know what a Barca-Espanyol derby means. It will be a tough match, for sure. After a fantastic week, it is important to be at 100% tomorrow, with intensity and maximum quality," Flick said.
"We always prepare well for the next game. After the celebrations, we focus on the next game. We work on what we want tomorrow. It's a very long game in the league and we focus on the next game."
Barca have taken 30 points from their first 11 league matches this season, their second-highest tally at this stage of a campaign in the competition, after 31 points in the 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2017-18 seasons.
Simeone: It makes no sense to play after Spanish floods
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is unhappy that most LaLiga matches will go ahead this weekend after catastrophic floods swept the eastern region of Spain.
The deadliest flash floods in Spain's modern history have killed over 200 people and dozens were still unaccounted for, four days after torrential rains swept the region of Valencia.
The tragedy is already Europe's worst flood-related disaster since 1967 when at least 500 people died in Portugal.
Saturday's clash between Valencia and Real Madrid, as well as Villarreal against Rayo Vallecano, are among several games postponed over the weekend after the floods.
"It doesn't make any sense," Simeone told reporters ahead of his side's home game against Las Palmas on Sunday.
"What is happening is very hard; it is very moving to see the people who went out on the streets to help, who with a shovel and their tools are trying to collaborate and that speaks very well of the country, of the people, and we want to help wherever we can.
"There are people having a very hard time, it's very sad and they tell us to continue and here we are, continuing."
Last month, Las Palmas named former Espanyol boss Diego Martinez as their new coach, and while Simeone is not pleased that the game is going ahead, he is prepared for a tough encounter.
"We have a tough game against a team that has improved a lot since the arrival of the coach," Simeone said.
"They are more forceful and I imagine a dangerous game, with a lot of counter-attacking, fast people in attack and we will try to have a game with these situations under control and get it out with the help of our fans, which is always fundamental."
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