Here we are, another spicy encounter for all you sports-kebabs out there - Romania tangling up against the Netherlands. Both teams having bit of a lukewarm tournament so far, with a 1-1-1 record each. But remember folks, lukewarm can heat up real quick!
Let's start with the jumping jacks from the Netherlands, the goalkeeping titan Bart Verbruggen. He's had a fair run, stat-wise, with a 7.37 rating and 12 saves. This guy can block a meteor with a feather duster, I tell you.
For the Romanian side, Florin Niță is sizzling in the box with a 7.43 rating and 13 saves. Wearing oven mitts might be a good idea, considering the Dutch attacks he'll be facing.
The Netherlands' pride on the field? Cody Gakpo. Sporting a 7.80 rating and two goals added to his shining resume. He seems to have separated wheat from the chaff with an accurate pass % of 77.2. The other notable force is Nathan Aké: 7.13 rating, and he spreads the ball around with an accuracy of 86.8%.
Moving over to Romania, we've got Răzvan Marin doing the Twist and Shout with a 7.20 rating and netting two goals. Andrei Rațiu, on the other hand, boasts an accurate pass % of 88.5. I wonder if he could thread a needle in a haystack.
Looking at the recent showcase of 'how to kick a ball', the Netherlands managed to put two past Poland but got taken down a peg by the Austrians with a 2-3 loss. A goalless draw against France can be seen as either a boon or not, depending on the color of your glasses.
Romania, with a similar story, pinned three goals on the board against Ukraine. However, they could barely scrape a draw against Slovakia and had no luck whatsoever against the Belgians, losing 0-2.
My gut tells me, this game will not be a draw. This game might just favor the Netherlands given their strong lineup and based on a few cleverly calculated numbers.
So here you have it, and don't say I never did nothing for you:
Albert’s Prediction: Netherlands by 2