They were absent from the 2018 World Cup in Russia, now they are in the quarter-finals of this World Cup in Qatar. Overall calm, the Netherlands enforced the hierarchy against Team USA at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha this Saturday. A 3-1 success acquired thanks to a gala Denzel Dumfries and a Memphis Depay still a little more in the history of his selection.
However, it was the Americans who started this round of 16 with a bang by getting a huge opportunity from the start through Christian Pulisic (3rd). The Chelsea striker receives an aerial ball and finds himself alone against Andries Noppert. His attempt from the left is diverted by the long compasses of the huge porter from Heerenveen (2.03m). Louis Van Gaal’s men are content in their camp but they will only need about ten minutes to sanction the American inefficiency. The inevitable Memphis Depay is at the reception of a center back from Denzel Dumfries and shakes the nets of Matt Turner with an unstoppable shot from the flat of the right foot (1-0). A 43rd achievement in the oranje tunic which places him in second position among the top scorers in the history of the Netherlands, behind Robin van Persie and his 50 goals.
The former Lyonnais will then be imitated by Daley Blind who will score a substantially identical goal just before the break. The Dutch piston Dumfries, again, distills a new decisive center in the area which the former Manchester United defender perfectly takes up for the 2-0. Too timorous and imprecise offensively, the American team can only see the clinical effectiveness of the Oranje when returning to the locker room.
Dumfries validates Dutch success
Probably shaken at the break, Gregg Berhalter’s men return to the field with better intentions. And even come very close to reviving the suspense in the 49th after a mess in the area. The Netherlands manage their advantage but create a new scare in the 75th minute. Memphis Depay misses his back pass and sends an offering to Ian Wright who fails to deceive Noppert. It is only a postponement for the striker of Antalyaspor, in Turkey, since it is he who will succeed in instilling a little doubt in the Dutch minds a minute later. Upon receiving a center from Pulisic, his improbable recovery with the right foot flies in the air before falling into the small net of Noppert (2-1).
The Dutch will only tremble for five short minutes until Denzel Dumfries offers a new break in advance to his side by perfectly taking over a cross from Blind at the far post (3-1). What definitively validate the qualification of the Oranje for the quarter-finals where they will find Argentina or Australia, who face each other this Saturday evening in Al-Rayyan.
