Rampant Netherlands wins Group ahead of defending Champions, United States

By -
Needed to win by telling margins to finish as group winners ahead of the United States and the Netherlands took that too personal, by recording the biggest win so far in this edition of the tournament by thrashing Vietnam, 7-0.


Four goals inside the opening 25 minutes from Lieke Mertens, Katja Snoeijs, Jill Roord and Esmee Brugts, who scored one of her two goals.

Debutant, Vietnam, were no match for their rampant opposition and could not help succumb to pressure every now and then. To suppress the situation, Duc Chung Mai was forced into making two defensive change before the half hour mark.

That did prove potent for some period but not enough to prevent the Dutch from scoring a fifth as Danielle van de Donk scores her first World Cup goal on the stroke of half time.

Esmee Brugts completed her brace three minutes before the hour mark as she pounced on a loose ball, firing into the top-right corner to make it 6-0.

Ten minutes later, Lieke Mertens had another goal ruled out for offside after VAR review but Andries Jonker eventually took Vietnam to the seventh heaven seven minutes from the end of the 90, as Jill Roord got her second to secure their top place finish in Group E.

In the other Group game, defending Champions, United States failed to make it seven points as they were held by debutant, Portugal.

Ana Capeta would have earn Portugal the biggest upset in the history of the FIFA Women's World Cup but she missed a very big chance, which could have seen the USA eliminated from the group stage, in the added time of second half.


The Netherlands win the group with seven points followed by USA on five. An impressive debut outing isn't enough for Portugal to earn a place in the next round while Haiti exit without scoring their first ever goal or earning a first ever point in the competition history.

Defending Champions and last time beaten finalist awaits the winner and runner-up of Group G respectively.


Hassan Afolabi

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another Newcastle defeat means time to go BIG on Eddie Howe might be about right

By -
Image
Eddie Howe's Newcastle United falled to a sixth defeat in seven games as Nottingham Forest sealed a 3-1 comeback win in the Saint James' Park, adding to their Champions League and Carabao Cup elimination in December while they continue to drop down the Premier League table. Credits to the Englishman, however, he is not in an elite level. A project like Newcastle United's is in a stage where you say thank you very much to Eddie Howe, a bid him farewell. It was a miracle, what the former AFC Bournemouth boss has done in his just more than two years at the helm of affairs in Tyneside and after the club failed to make the statement upon their UEFA Champions League qualification, the time couldn't be more right. Eddie Howe took charge of Newcastle United when the club was deep down the bottom of the Premier League standing and helped them become the first-ever to avoid relegation having not won a single game up until Gameweek 14 in the competition's history. Newcastle Un
Read more

Rasmus Hojlund; a pragmatic solution to Manchester United's needs despite likely consequences

By -
Image
Rasmus Hojlund has emerged as a real target for Manchester United as they look to secure a main goalscorer, who will lead the lines for the club on a long-term. Erik Ten Hag has opted for a different approach compared to previous managers of United in recent times, whom had all gone for players of different status. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Odion Ighalo, Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wout Weghorst are strikers the club has signed post Sir Alex Ferguson era, all of whom arrived at the club in their 30s. With Hojlund, United are looking to sign someone who just turned 20, though still has a lot more to learn to master the trade but at the same time, he has got the potentials to become one of the best around. The striker position has been a major issue for the club as many of those who had been signed has not lived up to expectations, while those who did ended up leaving due to their already ending careers. Cristiano Ronaldo and maybe Zlatan Ibrahimovic are the only two names who have m
Read more

Nigeria makes continental history as Osimhen and Oshoala win big in CAF awards

By -
Image
Victory for Nigeria at the CAF awards gala in Marrakech as Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala won the major prizes on the night, making the country the first-ever to produce winners of both CAF Men's and Women's Best Players in the same year. Victor Osimhen crowned Africa's Best For the first time since Kanu Nwankwo 24 years ago, a Nigerian player has won the most prestigious individual accolade in African football with striker Victor Osimhen beating Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi to the CAF Men's Player of the Year award. Osimhen, who enjoyed a sensational year with Napoli, delivering their first Scudetto in 33years and helping them to a first-ever quarter final place in the UEFA Champions League was always front-runner for the award, moreso after Riyad Mahrez failed to make the final three. Aside his conquests with Napoli, the 24-year-old striker was also unplayable in the AFCON qualifiers, scoring ten goals in six games and finishing as top scorer of the qualificatio
Read more