2023-08-06 07:35:00
The vice-world champions are still there. The Netherlands dismissed South Africa (2-0) and will face the Spanish for a place in the semi-finals.
By NJ with AFP The Netherlands, vice-world champions, celebrate their victory over South Africa in the round of 16 of the World Cup. © DAVID GRAY / AFP Published on 06/08/2023 at 07:35
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Despite an often dangerous South African team, it was the Netherlands, vice-world champions in 2019, who won this match and qualified for the quarter-finals of the World Cup. The “Oranje”, first in their group ahead of the United States, overcame the reigning African champions, 54th Fifa. They were able to count 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 repelled by Parisian Lieke Martens, who then had a goal refused 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) to give an advantage that will not be filled.
Attractive South Africans
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 (6th, 12th, 35th, 64th, 90th + 2 ). A permanent threat with his speed and dribbling.
But the captain never managed to realize her opportunities, especially when she missed an equalizer, after a face-to-face just before half-time with goalkeeper Daphne Van Domselaar (45th + 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.
READ ALSOWomen’s World Cup: Spain and Japan go to the quartersThe 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. “Listen, we have been underestimated so many times before,” the South African manager had warned the day before the match. “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, 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 for a place in the last four.
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