And so Orange has lost the title holder status, which it conquered in 2017 under Sarina Wiegman in its own country, after five years. France will fight with Germany on Wednesday who will play the final of EURO 2022. With a squatter against Germany, a beautiful poster for Dutch football beckoned in advance, but it was not to be for the Lionesses.
Parsons had made two surprises in his starting eleven prior to the first knockout match of the Orange squad. Center defender Aniek Nouwen was sacrificed in favor of Kerstin Casparij, so that Dominique Janssen joined Stefanie van der Gragt in the heart of the defence. In the front left there was a starting place for Victoria Pelova, who took the position of the injured Lieke Martens. The return of Vivianne Miedema to the base was less surprising, her return was at the expense of Jill Roord.
all the luck
The Orange squad started the quarter-final match with France with the best intentions, but it was lucky in the world that after 45 minutes, the scoreboard was 0-0. Wendy Renard headed twice wide from a corner, while keeper Daphne van Domselaar and Van der Gragt got the hands of the Orange fans present several times after they had saved the Dutch team from falling behind. Kadidiatou Diani showed everyone her heels in a French counter, but produced a weak roll in the Dutch penalty area.
Daphne van Domselaar also distinguishes himself against France with a few good saves.
ANP/HH
Charlotte Bilbault and Delphine Cascarino fired on Van Domselaar with long shots, but the young goalie was at her post, just like in previous games. Halfway through the first half, Van Domselaar watched as Cascarino’s ball hit the post next to her. There was a real one hundred percent chance for Sandie Toletti, but the French midfielder mowed the ball wildly after it fell right at her feet via Lynn Wilms.
Van der Gragt get in the way
In the final phase of the first half, the Orange team reached the break unscathed thanks to Van der Gragt, who first tapped a shot from Melvine Malard off the line with her knee and then stood in the way with a shot from Grace Geyoro up close. Both times the French supporters already counted the lead for their team, but the 0-0 remained on the board. The only ‘dangerous’ moment of the Orange towards the French goal came from a French player himself. Sakina Karchaoui headed the ball back to her own keeper after Casparij threw a cross into the French penalty area after a fine action.
Stefanie van der Gragt has been an obstacle on the goal line for the French twice.
Reuters
After the break, Parsons immediately brought Roord in front of Lineth Beerensteyn and that resulted in a nice first quarter for the Orange. The Netherlands threatening the French goal twice, both times from a corner. First Miedema tapped over from a difficult position and not much later Van der Gragt was unable to give a header enough direction. With Esmee Brugts in front of Daniëlle van de Donk, Parsons brought in a fresh attacker fifteen minutes before the end, but the game crept to the end of regular time.
Shortly before the end of the ninety minutes, Geyoro had a huge chance to win the game for France, but headed the ball wide at the far post. Cascarino was also close to 1-0 deep in injury time, but once again found Van Domselaar in her path. That also happened to Renard, who saw Van Domselaar tap a header from the top corner.
Video Referee
An intervention by the video referee in the extra time that had become necessary ultimately ensured that the game was decided against the Orange. A tackle by Janssen on Diani was initially not considered a violation by Croatian referee Ivana Martincic, but after the referee was called to the side, the ball went on the spot. Eye-to-eye with Eve Perisset, Van Domselaar almost beat the French, but the penalty was shot just hard and clean enough into the corner by the defender.
With Romée Leuchter and Nouwen as fresh forces for Casparij and Sherida Spitse, the Netherlands pulled out all the stops in the second part of the extension in the hunt for the equalizer, but to no avail. The fairy tale of the extended European Championship title is over for the Orange.
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