NewsInternationals: Cody Gakpo scores twice in Netherlands victory

Three Liverpool players – Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Virgil van Dijk – started and finished their nation’s final pre-World Cup friendly on Monday.

And Gakpo was the match-winner as he twice kept his cool from 12 yards, with the forward netting his second spot-kick in the 97th minute to deny Uzbekistan, who had equalised moments earlier.

The Reds’ No.18 had put his side 1-0 up in the first half with his first penalty of the game.

The Netherlands can now look ahead to the World Cup, with their opening group-stage fixture against Wataru Endo’s Japan taking place in Arlington this weekend.

Elsewhere, Kieran Morrison was an unused substitute in Northern Ireland’s 3-1 defeat by France.

On Sunday, Kostas Tsimikas came off the bench in the second half of Greece’s 1-0 loss to Italy.