The Netherlands and Sweden are considered candidates for the title. There is a draw at the start.
The Dutch soccer team started their mission of defending their title at the European Championships in England with a draw. The team around star striker Vivianne Miedema started in Sheffield after falling behind against the Olympic silver medalist Sweden to a 1:1 (0:1).
Jonna Andersson (36′) put the Scandinavians ahead in front of 21,342 spectators at Bramall Lane, but Wolfsburg’s Jill Roord (52′) saved Oranje a point in front of Bonds coach Louis van Gaal.
Hardly any chances to score after equalizing
Sweden, the first women’s European champions in 1984, came into the top game better and dictated the game in the first half. Andersson scored from close range for the deserved lead. The Dutch women had to cope with the early failure of goalkeeper and captain Sari van Veenendaal (22nd) and initially found few offensive solutions.
Miedema, who was under contract with Bayern Munich between 2014 and 2017, also rarely appeared. After the change of sides, however, the Dutch women got stronger and Roord scored the equalizer from the turn. Both teams didn’t risk much after that. The other game in the group between outsider nations Portugal and Switzerland also ended in a draw (2-2).