When the Netherlands take on four-time champions the United States on Thursday in the Women’s World Cup group stage, coach Andries Jonker promises must-watch football.
The two teams will square off in Wellington in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2019 championship game with a lot on the stake.
The Americans are aiming for an unprecedented third straight victory, while the Dutch are hoping to recapture the excitement of their triumph at the 2017 European Championship.
This will serve as a model for contemporary women’s football. Teams that want to compete, want to win, respect one another, and who are both fearless will engage in a battle from the first to the final minute, Jonker told reporters.
“This is going to be a really good match because both teams are trying to win the group.”
In spite of Lineth Beerensteyn’s ankle injury, the Netherlands defeated Portugal 1-0 to start its season. On Thursday, it most likely won’t be able to function without the striker.
The team already suffered from the loss of Vivianne Miedema, the team’s all-time leading scorer, who sustained an ACL injury in December and was unable to make a full recovery in time for the competition.
They are up against an American team that is working to improve its finishing ability after missing a number of opportunities in its opening 3-0 victory over Vietnam.
“We all know that for a very, very long time, the United States has been one of the finest teams in the world. The Dutch midfielder Jackie Groenen remarked, “I think they still have so much quality on the pitch, but I think we’re also improving.
We have two teams with various qualities that will greatly complement one another.
Against the United States, who eliminated them in the Olympic quarterfinal two years prior, Groenen claimed she and her colleagues were attempting to stay in the moment.
She stated, “We have a great deal of respect for America. “We’re also not trying to look back on the past,”