��������

AMSTERDAM: Striker Mexx Meerdink has withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for this week’s World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Finland, the Dutch football association said on Tuesday, after he suffered an injury two days into his first call-up.
The 22-year-old from AZ Alkmaar will not be replaced, it added, even though Memphis Depay was late arriving from Brazil after his passport went missing.
Coach Ronald Koeman has already said Depay would not start against Malta away on Thursday, leaving Donyell Malen as the likely first-choice striker for the game at Ta’Qali.
Malen, however, has a growing reputation as an impact player, or ‘super sub’ for the Dutch.
He boasts a better goal-scoring record as a substitute than as a starter with 10 goals in 27 substitute appearances, the best figures in the history of the Dutch national team.
“It’s something to be proud of,” Malen told reporters on Tuesday. “Sometimes you’re disappointed to be on the bench, but if you can stay mentally strong and produce good results, you can be proud.”
As a starter, Malen has been less productive with a single goal in 18 internationals.
The Netherlands also take on Finland at home on Sunday. They have 10 points from their opening four qualifiers, ahead of Poland on goal difference with a game in hand.
The group winners qualify directly for the finals in North America with the runners-up going into the playoffs.

JEDDAH: Saudi national football team head coach Herve Renard is confident his players can qualify for the nation’s seventh World Cup finals since 1994.
Speaking in Jeddah on Tuesday on the eve of their opening match in the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, against Indonesia, he said: “We’re on the right track, technically.
“We had a training camp in Europe during the last break. Tomorrow is a different match and everyone has hopes of qualifying for the World Cup. I’m confident that we’ll give more than 100 percent to reach the World Cup.
“I came here a year ago and the goal was to qualify directly, but that didn’t happen because we needed to improve in several aspects. We have made good progress in our performance since the Gulf Cup, and we must prove that on the field because the truth always appears on the field.”
The Saudis were defeated 2-1 by Oman in the semifinals of the Gulf Cup in December.
“Last January, I decided to change a large number of players; 50 percent of the players who were with us at that time changed,” Renard said.
“We developed, technically, and tomorrow we will see if we have developed enough.”
He revealed that his message to his players ahead of the game was simple: “We will qualify for the World Cup together.”
Indonesia’s coach, Patrick Kluivert, said he was not afraid to face the Green Falcons at home, in front of 60,000 Saudi fans.
“I know it is a crucial game but the Garuda players are ready to make the country proud,” he said.
“We consider this match as a final and we will do everything we can to achieve a positive result. We are confident that we will perform strongly.
“I won’t make any excuses, whatever the reason. Despite the late arrival of some players from Europe, we have no excuses at all. Although the absence of the goalkeeper is significant, we have the right alternative and we will seek to exploit set pieces. We will be a very difficult opponent.”
Asked about a rejected call by Indonesian football authorities for Kuwaiti referee Ahmad Al-Ali to be replaced with a neutral official, over concerns that refs from the region might be biased, Kluivert said: “I am here … to talk about the technical stuff, not anything else. It is not my business.”
Six teams are competing for the two remaining automatic World Cup qualification spots. They are split into two groups, with Iraq joining the Saudis and Indonesia in Group B, and Qatar, the UAE and Oman in Group A. The teams in each group will play each other once, with both group winners booking their places at the 2026 World Cup. The second-place teams will then face off over two legs, with the winner advancing to an inter-confederation play-off.