The Euro 2024 fixtures' boiler has been switched on as Group D heavyweights, the Netherlands and France, face off at Red Bull Arena on Friday, vying for a spot in the last 16.
Ronald Koeman's squad rallied from behind to edge out Poland 2-1 in their opener, while Les Bleus secured a tight victory over Austria, though the game was overshadowed by an injury to their key player, Kylian Mbappe.
Poland initially seemed unfazed by the absence of star striker Robert Lewandowski in their Group D opener against the Netherlands.
Adam Buksa stepped up admirably, heading in a superb goal to the far corner just 16 minutes into the match.
However, the Flying Dutchmen quickly responded.
Thirteen minutes later, Cody Gakpo's deflected shot wrong-footed Wojciech Szczesny, and with only seven minutes left in regulation time, Wout Weghorst completed the Dutch comeback with a powerful low finish.
Koeman, the relieved former Barcelona boss, saw his tactical gamble pay off.
He had considered positioning Memphis Depay behind Weghorst but ultimately substituted Depay for another former Manchester United player, whose winning goal pushed the Netherlands to the top of Group D.
The Netherlands lead the group over France, thanks to their higher goal tally.
A win on Friday would secure them a top-two finish and mark their fourth consecutive victory, following 4-0 friendly wins against Canada and Iceland in their warm-up matches.
Koeman's side has lost only once in their last eight matches, a 2-1 friendly defeat to Germany in March, highlighting their strong form heading into Euro 2024.
However, they will face a tough challenge against their familiar foes in the upcoming qualifier.
Before reuniting with their Dutch rivals in the same finals section, France dominated the Netherlands with a 4-0 home victory and a narrow 2-1 win in the preliminary round, giving Didier Deschamps's team a historical edge this week.
Similar to the Netherlands, Les Bleus' tournament opener was a hard-fought 1-0 win over an in-form Austria, thanks to Maximilian Wober's own goal.
France could have topped the group if Kylian Mbappe hadn't missed a golden one-on-one opportunity.
Although the new Real Madrid star failed to score, he caused a stir by colliding with Kevin Danso, resulting in a broken nose and a yellow card. Despite the chaos, Mbappe's assist led to Wober's own goal, ensuring France's victory.
France, now in second place, will secure a last-16 spot with a win on Friday. Deschamps's squad has shown defensive resilience, recording three consecutive clean sheets.
France's double over the Dutch in qualifying follows the historical trend, having won seven of their last eight matches against the Netherlands.
However, Oranje have won their last two encounters at the Euros, including a 4-1 thrashing in the 2008 group stage.
The Netherlands emerged from their tough win over Poland without any injury concerns.
Brian Brobbey, who missed the match due to a hamstring issue, is back in training, giving Koeman a full squad to choose from.
The only slight concern for Koeman is in midfield, as Joey Veerman’s yellow card on Sunday means he will face a one-game ban if booked again.
However, Koeman is unlikely to let such hypotheticals affect his strategy for such an important match.
Weghorst's late heroics over the weekend have not ruled out his starting chances, but Depay, just five goals shy of Robin van Persie's record 50 for the men's team, is expected to retain his starting position.
On the French side, fans are eagerly awaiting updates on Mbappe, who suffered a bloody nose and shirt after his collision with Danso.
Though he might feature later in the tournament with a protective mask, French media reports indicate that Mbappe will miss Friday's crucial match.
Deschamps is likely to rely on record goalscorer Olivier Giroud, who is dealing with some groin pain but should be available.
Eduardo Camavinga (ankle) and his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni (foot) are also expected to be fit to play, though neither is likely to replace N'Golo Kante, who delivered a vintage performance against Austria with his tireless midfield display.
