Vice world champions Netherlands started the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand with a 1-0 (1-0) win over Portugal. The “Lionesses” were superior and could have won more if they had exploited their chances better.
Even if the team of former Bundesliga coach Andries Jonker had to tremble for victory in the end, the Dutch women underlined their title ambitions with their debut appearance at the Oceania tournament. The 2017 European champion showed a tactically and footballingly mature performance over long stretches of the game. The only drawback: the ending. So it stayed with the goal of the former Munich player Stefanie van der Gragt, who scored on her farewell tour from professional football – the 30-year-old ended her career after the World Cup – with a head (13th).
Netherlands dominant from the start
Many Portuguese players cried as their national anthem was played at Forsyth Barr Stadiums in Dunedin. Tears of emotion rolled down the cheeks of the Iberians before the first World Cup game of a women’s national team of the association. Coach Francisco Neto will certainly find out in the analysis of the game whether it was the historic moment or the strong opponents who hardly let the outsider come into their own in the first 45 minutes. In any case, his eleven practically did not take place offensively before half-time.
The Dutch keeper Daphne van Domselaar could have gotten a pot of coffee and a piece of pavlova from the stadium catering – her absence would probably hardly have been noticed. Instead of tucking into the delicious cream and fruit-filled meringue gates – a New Zealand palate classic – the 23-year-old chose to stay warm – and bored – in and in front of her box.
Van der Gragt scores with a head
From afar, the Aston Villa goalkeeper saw her team-mates dominating the encounter and clearly commanding the air. It was no coincidence that the 1-0 came from a corner kick from Sherida Spitse, which van der Gragt headed into the net. Initially, the assistant referee raised the flag after seeing Jill Roord offside. However, after viewing the moving image, referee Kateryna Monzul (Ukraine) gave the goal because the goggle box clearly showed that the former Wolfsburg player had not actively intervened.
Stefanie van der Gragt (centre) celebrates her header.
Roord could have raised soon after – of course also with a head – or actually had to. But she didn’t place the ball well enough (24′). Danielle van de Donk (39′) and Lineth Beerensteyn (45′) missed further chances to make it 2-0, so the Portuguese were well served with a goal at half-time.
Portugal bolder after the break
After the change of sides, the Iberians were visibly trying to work a little more research. They stood taller now and displayed a more determined posture. Against the aggressive pressure of the Dutch women, who usually attacked the ball-carrying player in pairs, the Neto team still found it difficult to set offensive accents. And at the back, the World Cup novice always had to be on guard against the nimble “lionesses”. Lucky for the Portuguese women that the runner-up world champions continued to usury their chances: Van de Donk shot keeper Ines Pereira from a standing position (52′).
Goalkeeper van Domselaar long unemployed
So it could have been 2-0 or 3-0 for the 2017 European champions. However, because that was not the case, Bond coach Andries Jonker’s facial features darkened from the middle of the second round. Because his team was no longer as dominant as it was in the first 45 minutes, the game is now fairly balanced. However, Portugal were mostly at their wits end in the opposing penalty area.
Keeper van Domselaar only had to parry the first shot in the 82nd minute (!). However, the central finish of Telma Raquel Velosa da Encarnacao, who had just come on as a substitute, did not pose any major problems for them. It was the underdog’s biggest and only chance to score in the game, and it ended up being the well-deserved Dutch success.