Netherlands vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Prediction: Gakpo to fire first at old stomping ground

The Netherlands endured late disappointment in their Euro 2024 semi-final against England in July, conceding a 90th-minute strike to lose 2-1 in Dortmund. The Oranje's first game back since that defeat arrives at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven on Saturday (19:45), as Ronald Koeman's side host Bosnia-Herzegovina in Uefa Nations League Group A3.

Read below for my Netherlands vs Bosnia-Herzegovina prediction and all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Koeman has been ruthless in his decision-making ahead of the Oranje's September internationals against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Germany, axing Steven Bergwijn as punishment for his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad. Fellow Saudi Pro League player Georginio Wijnaldium, plying his trade under Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, has also been overlooked, as has Atalanta midfielder Marten de Roon, who missed the European Championships through injury.

Girona's Daley Blind, meanwhile, has retired from international duty, while free agent Memphis Depay has been left out as he searches for a new club side.

Plenty of experience remains in the Dutch setup with Liverpool and Oranje captain Virgil van Dijk and Manchester City defender Nathan Ake among the squad's Premier League contingent. Van Dijk's club teammates, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch, are pushing for starts on Saturday, the former having starred at the Euros, scoring three times in Germany, and the latter enjoying a fine start to the Premier League season.

Joshua Zirkzee, Wout Weghorst and Brian Brobbey are all battling it out to start up top in Eindhoven.

Football Odds

Bosnia-Herzegovina head coach Sergej Barbarez has recalled veteran striker Edin Dzeko (Fenerbahce), who was an unused substitute in a 3-0 friendly defeat to England on June 3 before missing the 1-0 defeat to Italy six days later through injury.

Sead Kolasinac has missed Atalanta's first three league games of the 2024/25 season but has been named in Bosnia's squad and could start on Saturday, and he is likely to be joined in the starting XI by Sheffield United defender Anel Ahmedhodzic and Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirovic.

Netherlands vs Bosnia-Herzegovina Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Netherlands vs Bosnia-Herzegovina page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Netherlands and Bosnia have played each other twice before, both in the Nations League. Bosnia held their opponents to a goalless draw in Zenica in October 2020 before losing 3-1 in Amsterdam a month later.

Saturday's hosts are 1/6 to beat the Bosnians again, giving the Orange an implied win probability of 85.7%, while the visitors are 16/1, or a 5.9% chance, to secure a shock victory in Eindhoven.

The draw is available at 6/1, both teams to score at 11/8, and over 2.5 total goals at 8/15.

Gakpo is favourite to score anytime at 11/10 while Dzeko is the lowest priced for Bosnia at 9/2.

Match Result & Total Goals Over/Under 2.5 - Netherlands & Under 2.5 @ 23/10

The Netherlands won six of their eight Euro 2024 qualifiers, only dropping points in defeats to France at home (1-2) and away (4-0). Koeman's side then started the summer tournament well by beating Poland 2-1 in their opening game, although a goalless draw with old foes France and a 3-2 defeat to Austria consigned them to third in Group D.

Still, the Oranje qualified for the last 16, where they dismantled Romania 3-0 before edging past Turkey 2-1 in the quarter-finals. Their run was only ended by a late Ollie Watkins goal in the semi-final, highlighting the strides they have made in recent years.

Bosnia, meanwhile, finished fifth in their six-team qualification group, behind Portugal, Slovakia, Luxembourg and Iceland, and only ahead of a pointless Liechtenstein. Iceland were the only other side they managed to take points off, while they lost 2-1 in a play-off against Ukraine in March. June defeats to England and Spain mean they are now on a six-match losing run, and they've lost nine of their last 12 competitive fixtures, blanking in five of those contests.

Defeats to Slovakia (2-0), Luxembourg (0-2) and Iceland (1-0) all saw two or fewer goals scored, while two of the Netherlands' last three Euro 2024 qualifiers ended 1-0 in their favour, so a one or two-goal victory for the Oranje on Saturday looks like the way to go at 23/10.

First Scorer - Cody Gakpo @ 4/1

Gakpo started Euro 2024 on fire, scoring in three of his first four games at the tournament to take his international goal tally to 12.

The 25-year-old's form in Germany hasn't been enough for him to break into Arne Slot's Liverpool starting XI, however, with Colombian star Luis Diaz preferred on the left so far. Gakpo has been restricted to three substitute outings in the Premier League, but that shouldn't stop him from starting against Bosnia on Saturday.

The Netherlands aren't exactly blessed with firepower in the forward line so Gakpo's spot on the left should be secure, and with uncertainty over who will start up top and on the right, the sensible first scorer selection at the Philips Stadion, where he used to play his club football for PSV Eindhoven, is Gakpo.

Offers

Place an In-Play single bet of £10 or more at odds of 1/2+ on any Nations League game on Saturday and get £5 in Free Bets to use In-Play on any Nations League game on Sunday.

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.