The Netherlands, the runners-up of the last Women’s World Cup, continued their impressive run in the 2023 edition by defeating South Africa 2-0 in the round of 16 on Sunday. The Dutch scored a goal in each half and dominated possession and chances throughout the game. However, they also had to rely on some brilliant saves from their goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar to keep a clean sheet against a spirited South African side. Netherlands vs. South Africa
In this blog post, we will review the key moments, stats, and reactions from the match and analyze how the Netherlands advanced to the quarterfinals, where they will face Spain. Netherlands vs. South Africa
Key Moments
The match started with a bang as the Netherlands took the lead in the ninth minute. Jill Roord headed in from close range after Lieke Martens’ header was parried by South African keeper Kaylin Swart. The goal was Roord’s third of the tournament and gave the Dutch an early advantage. Netherlands vs. South Africa
South Africa tried to respond with some counterattacks, but they were denied by Van Domselaar, who made several crucial saves to keep her team ahead. The most notable one came in the 45th minute, when she stopped Thembi Kgatlana’s shot after she broke through on goal. Netherlands vs. South Africa
The second half saw more of the same pattern, as the Netherlands controlled the game and created more opportunities, while South Africa defended bravely and looked for openings on the break. The Dutch doubled their lead in the 68th minute, when Lineth Beerensteyn’s weak shot slipped through Swart’s hands and crossed the line. It was a cruel mistake by Swart, who had made some good saves earlier in the game. Netherlands vs. South Africa
South Africa did not give up and kept fighting until the end, but they could not find a way past Van Domselaar, who made another superb save to deny Kgatlana in stoppage time. The final whistle confirmed the Netherlands’ victory and their place in the last eight.
Stats Netherlands vs. South Africa
The stats show how dominant the Netherlands were in terms of possession, shots, and passes. They had 67% of the ball and 23 shots, compared to South Africa’s 33% and 10 shots. They also completed 562 passes with an accuracy of 84%, while South Africa completed 255 passes with an accuracy of 66%. Netherlands vs. South Africa
However, the stats also show how resilient and dangerous South Africa were, as they had six shots on target and forced Van Domselaar to make eight saves. They also had more tackles (19) and interceptions (14) than the Netherlands (16 and 11 respectively) Netherlands vs. South Africa
Reactions
The Netherlands coach Andries Jonker was pleased with his team’s performance and praised Van Domselaar for her heroics. He also expressed his confidence that his team can beat Spain in the quarterfinals and that Danielle van de Donk, who will miss that game due to suspension, will return later in the tournament.
“We’ve come with the conviction that we can beat everybody. And if you say we can defeat everyone, it includes Spain as well as all teams, including South Africa,” he said1. This suggests Danielle will take part in more contests. We want to beat Spain, then she can come back into the tournament Netherlands vs. South Africa
The South Africa coach Desiree Ellis was proud of her team’s effort and spirit and said they could have won the game if they had taken their chances. She also consoled Swart for her error and said she was a key player for her team. Netherlands vs. South Africa
“We felt we could have won this game and if I look back, we should have with the opportunities that we had, but we didn’t take them,” she said “If you look at their goalkeeper getting the player of the match, it tells you how well we played.”
“Nobody in the world has a perfect game,” she added1.You’re going to mess up, and that’s what occurred, but she also kept us in the game. Netherlands vs. South Africa
Analysis
The match showed that the Netherlands are a strong contender for the title again, as they have a balanced and experienced team that can play attractive and effective football. They have a formidable attack that features players like Martens, Roord, Beerensteyn, Vivianne Miedema, and Shanice van de Sanden. They also have a solid defense that is led by captain Sari van Veenendaal and includes players like Anouk Dekker, Dominique Janssen, Stefanie van der Gragt, and Merel van Dongen. Netherlands vs South Africa
However, they also showed some weaknesses that could be exploited by better teams, such as Spain. They were sometimes careless with the ball and gave away some cheap turnovers that led to dangerous counterattacks. They also lacked some creativity and penetration in the final third and relied on set-pieces and individual brilliance to score. They also missed Van de Donk’s presence and influence in the midfield, as she is a key player for them. Netherlands vs South Africa
South Africa, on the other hand, showed that they are a team with a lot of potential and promise, as they have some talented and exciting players that can compete with the best. They have a star in Kgatlana, who is a fast and skillful forward that can create and score goals. They also have some solid and hard-working players like Janine van Wyk, Leandra Smeda, Hildah Magaia, and Refiloe Jane. Netherlands vs South Africa
However, they also showed some limitations that prevented them from reaching the next level, such as their lack of experience and composure in big games. They were sometimes overawed by the occasion and the opposition and made some costly mistakes that cost them goals. They also lacked some quality and depth in their squad and struggled to cope with the Netherlands’ pressure and intensity. Netherlands vs South Africa
Conclusion
The match between the Netherlands and South Africa was an entertaining and competitive one that showcased the best and the worst of both teams. The Netherlands advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Roord and Beerensteyn and saves from Van Domselaar. South Africa exited the tournament with pride and dignity after giving their all and creating some chances. Netherlands vs South Africa
We hope this blog post has given you some useful information and insight on the Netherlands vs. South Africa highlights. If you are interested in watching more matches from the Women’s World Cup 2023, you can check out our website for some amazing content. Throughout the competition, we have a wide selection of articles, films, podcasts, and quizzes that will keep you informed and engaged. Netherlands vs South Africa
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