Daley Blind had an important share in the Dutch win over the United States. The Ajax player scored the 2-0 and gave the assist for the 3-1. As a result, the Dutch national team is in the quarterfinals at the World Cup.
Compared to the last group match against Qatar, the starting eleven of Orange remained unchanged. As a result, Hilversummer Davy Klaassen started again in the base. That was at the expense of Ajax player Steven Berghuis. Striker Steven Bergwijn also started from the bench. In the initial phase, the Orange was not yet alert. Christian Pulisic escaped the defense and shot the ball full at Andries Noppert. Despite the great opportunity for the United States, the Dutch national team opened the score.
After a brilliant attack with twenty passes, Memphis Depay completed a cross from Denzel Dumfries: 1-0. Ajax player Daley Blind reported several times in the attack and shot well over from a promising position. The Orange then collapsed and let the US make the game. That did not lead to great opportunities, it did not get further than a long shot from Timothy Weah. On the stroke of half-time, the Orange struck again. Blind scored with his right on a pass from Dumfries: 2-0.
Watch Daley Blind’s goal below. Text continues below the tweet:
Just a little butt pinching
It almost became 2-1 from a corner kick by the US. Defender Walker Zimmerman’s header already passed Noppert, but Cody Gakpo cleared the ball off the line. Less than a minute later, a Dumfries cross on the other side created another danger. This time goalkeeper Matt Turner did stop the ball. Depay showed himself again after a quiet period with a good long shot. That turned out to be a starting shot, as substitute Teun Koopmeiners (from distance) and Depay (rebound) tried to expand the score.
It got very exciting in the final phase. Depay handed the ball in to Haji Wright, after which the attacker passed Noppert. Dumfries barely got the ball off the line. In the end it was Wright, who still made it 2-1. The American hope was then expertly shot to pieces by Dumfries on the instructions of Blind: 3-1. In the final phase, the Amsterdam-born Xavi Simons was allowed to make his debut.
The Orange is therefore through to the quarterfinals. The opponent in this is Argentina or Australia, the eighth final will be played tonight from 8 p.m.
Setup Orange: Noppert; Dumfries, Timber, Van Dijk, Aké (De Ligt/94), Blind; De Roon (Koopmeiners/46), Frenkie de Jong, Klaassen (Bergwijn/46); Gakpo (Weghorst/94), Depay (Simons/83)