The Netherlands, vice-world champions in 2019, beat the often dangerous South Africa (2-0) on Sunday in Sydney and join Spain in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
The “Oranje”, first in their group ahead of the United States, did not really shine but overcame the reigning African champions, 54th in the FIFA rankings. They were able to count on their offensive efficiency.
From the 9th minute, following a corner, midfielder Jill Roord, who scored her fourth goal of the tournament, opened the scoring with a header after a first header from Parisian Lieke Martens, who then had a goal disallowed for offside (54′).
The Paris SG player is also behind the second goal: she served striker Lineth Beerensteyn, who took advantage of a hand error from goalkeeper Kaylin Swart (68th).
The historic course of the South Africans therefore stopped on Sunday at the Sydney Football Stadium, still sold out. But as since the start of the World Cup, the players of coach Desiree Ellis were very often dangerous on the counter-attack, pushed by the 40,230 spectators.
The new star of his country, striker Thembi Kgatlana, 27, made the difference with every ball and shook the defense of the “Oranje” several times (6, 12, 35, 64, 90 2) . A permanent threat with his speed and dribbling.
But the captain stumbled each time, especially when she missed an equalizer, after a face to face just before half-time with goalkeeper Daphne Van Domselaar (45 1). Ten minutes before, she had made a good sequence, after a stepover, but her shot had been easily captured (35th).
It was already she who had offered victory to South Africa against Italy (3-2) in added time, in the last group match.
The Racing Louisville striker in the United States then gave her country the first victory in its history in the World Cup for its second participation after 2019, as well as the first qualification in the round of 16 of a World Cup, men and women. women confused.
“She couldn’t have given more than she did. She was out of breath, she always wants to make the perfect match, but she was starting to run out,” commented the coach after the match, adding: “I don’t think there are still any outsiders in this World Cup. “.
The offensive efficiency of the “Oranje” and the solidity of the defense, which bent but never sank, got the better of the “Banyana Banyana”, who also stood out off the pitch with their collective dances.
The Dutch, who had already beaten (5-1) the South Africans in a friendly match last year, will meet Spain in the quarter-finals next Friday in Wellington.
A symbol for Lyonnaise Damaris Egurrola, the “oranje” midfielder who entered the second half, because she finds La Roja: “she knows the Spaniards very well, she will help us analyze them and obviously I will talk to her” , said the Dutch coach.
