Thanks to a goal by Esmee Brugts, the Dutch women’s team has qualified for the World Cup next year. The PSV player scored in the third minute of injury time. Due to the 1-0 victory over Iceland, the ‘Lionesses’ will be allowed to go to Australia and New Zealand next year.
The team of national coach Andries Jonker qualified thanks to a miraculous escape. The Orange had many opportunities against Iceland, but were unable to complete them. Four balls hit the crossbar and post, but there was no goal.
Group winner
Deep in the injury time, everything still worked out for the Dutch women thanks to a fumble goal from Esmee Burgts. The 19-year-old talent plays for PSV in the Eredivisie. Because of the win, the Netherlands ends up as group winner, which means that it immediately qualifies for the World Cup.
If the Orange had not been able to win, Iceland would have become group winner and the ‘Lionesses’ would have had to enforce a place in the World Cup via play-offs.
At the last World Cup in 2019, the Dutch football players reached the final, in which they lost 2-0 to the United States. At the European Championship last summer, the Orange squad got stuck in the quarterfinals.