The historic course of the South Africans stopped in the round of 16, after the defeat of the reigning African champions against the Netherlands (2-0), Sunday in Sydney. The Oranje, still as effective offensively, will meet Spain in the quarter-finals next Friday in Wellington.
Published on: 08/06/2023 – 07:27
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The Netherlands, vice-world champions in 2019, beat South Africa (2-0), often dangerous, on Sunday August 6, in Sydney, and join Spain in the quarter-finals of the World Cup-2023.
The Oranje, first in their group ahead of the United States, overcame the reigning African champions, 54th in the FIFA rankings. They had to rely on their offensive efficiency.
From the 9th minute, following a corner, midfielder Jill Roord, who made her size speak, opened the scoring with a header after a first header pushed back from Parisian Lieke Martens, who then had a goal disallowed for offside (54th).
The PSG midfielder 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 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 each shot 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, men and women confused.
“Look, we’ve been underestimated so many times before,” the South African coach warned the day before the game, “I think this group has shown that nothing can stand in their way.”
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 will meet Spain in the quarter-finals next Friday in Wellington.
With AFP
