Could Holland give themselves hope or suffer humiliating Euro 2016 elimination

As well as requiring maximum points against Czech Republic, they also need Turkey to lose at home versus group leaders Iceland.

With seconds remaining the Kazakhs would amazingly pull a goal back, with Kuat striking with the last touch of the ball to restore a few dignity for the home team.

“This week, I’ve not remembered one of the handsome things I’ve experienced with Oranje”, he told Algemeen Dagblad.

The Netherlands got a key victory in its quest to qualify for Euro 2016, defeating Kazakhstan 2-1 here in a match the Dutch led comfortably for most of the second half.

Head coach Blind, meanwhile, claimed his side are not feeling any nerves despite the importance of securing a victory and insisted playing on an artificial surface in Astana will be no excuse for a poor performance.

Critics talk of a missing generation, a gap between the players in their 30s and those in their early 20s, talented but unworldly.

After reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup a year ago its hard to believe that Netherlands could fail to reach the 2016 Euro’s in France.

The latest snag? The sudden addition of not one but two goalkeepers to a list of injured which already included Arjen Robben. Newcastle United’s Tim Krul withdrew nine minutes from full-time with a knee problem that will likely need weeks of recuperation.

Opponents Kazakhstan now sit bottom of Group A without a win, but will have gained confidence from the 0-0 draw they gained against Iceland last month. Ruud Gullit, figurehead of the Holland who won the 1988 European Championship, spoke of a “lack of chemistry” in the squad; Johan Cruyff, former captain and lordly opinion-former of Dutch football, described what he has seen in terms to wound deeply a nation that likes to regard its football as uniquely learned, proactive and self-confident: “No depth, no movement, no tactical education”, wrote Cruyff. A country like Netherlands should always make it to the Euros. So it is hard to give the team a clear-cut preference.

The final score here; Kazakhstan 1-2 Holland.