USWNT vs. the Netherlands: Scouting report, prediction for key Group E clash
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The U.S. women's national team will face the Netherlands in each squad's second match of the 2023 World Cup on Wednesday night (coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET, with kickoff at 9 p.m. on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
The contest has huge implications for both teams. With all due respect to Portugal and Vietnam, the two other members of Group E, the Americans and Dutch are the sides widely expected to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. The order in which they finish matters, though.
The team that tops the group will face a second-place foe — likely Argentina, Italy or South Africa — to open the win-or-go-home phase of the competition and have an easier travel schedule for the remainder of their stay Down Under.
They'll also avoid a probable Round of 16 date with Sweden. The Swedes, widely regarded as the best program never to win a Women's World Cup, beat the U.S. in each of the last two Olympics.
"We have played Netherlands historically and in very important matches: 2019 [World Cup final], Olympics, even before then," U.S. forward Alex Morgan said here before her squad travels south to the city of Wellington, the site of Wednesday's contest. "This is going to be an incredibly difficult matchup."
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What do U.S. fans need to know about the Netherlands? Let's break it down.
What makes this Dutch team dangerous?
Where to begin? Even without injured all-time top scorer Vivianne Miedema, FIFA's ninth-ranked team is proven in every position with the possible exception of goal, where starting keeper Daphne van Domselaar has just 14 caps.
There's major tournament experience everywhere else on the field, though. Defender Stefanie van der Gragt (who scored the winning goal in the Oranje's opener against Portugal), midfielders Sherida Spitse and Daniëlle van de Donk and forward Lieke Martens have all made well more than 100 international appearances.
The Netherlands also has an all-world left back in Dominique Janssen, plus playmaker Jill Roord, who can finish any chance that comes their way. Starting striker Lineth Beerensteyn will miss the match with an ankle injury.
"First time that the US team will be tested defensively" — Ari Hingst on the USWNT's upcoming match up vs. Netherlands
"[The Netherlands] have an aerial presence for sure on corner kicks and set plays, they're a technical team," said USWNT fullback Sofia Huerta, who came off the bench against Vietnam. "A lot of the players are from the last World Cup as well. So, I think experience is important. They've been here before they've had success here before."
Who is the Netherlands' key player in this match?
Martens. The former European player of the year is 30 now and, yes, her job will be tougher without usual running mate Miedema pulling defenders out of position.
But Martens is still the leading scorer on coach Andries Jonker's World Cup roster. And after being held off the board by the U.S. in both the 2019 World Cup final and her side's opening match here in New Zealand, she has a point to prove Wednesday.
What is the history between these teams?
This will be the 11th match for the two nations on the women's side and the third since the Americans' memorable 2-0 victory in the final at France 2019.
Did the Netherlands prove they're a serious threat to the USWNT?
The U.S. lost the first meeting between the two rivals in 1991. After that, the Americans reeled off eight consecutive victories, conceding just two goals along the way.
But the most recent encounter, in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, illustrates how tough the Dutch will be to beat. The Americans fell behind on an early Miedema goal then needed penalty kicks to advance after giving up a second-half equalizer. Officially, that one counts as a tie.
Key matchup: Morgan vs. Van der Gragt
U.S. target striker Morgan will be counted on to occupy the imposing center back, hold up the ball and create space that fellow forward Sophia Smith and others can exploit.
"Sometimes the goal for me is to attract as many defenders as possible and free up my teammates," Morgan said. "Van der Gragt is a very experienced defender playing the center of the five back, and so as much as we can, we want to pull them out of position, disorganize them and make it so they're kind of emergency defending, and we have numbers up and attack.
"But it will be difficult. They're extremely organized and those players — Spitse, Van der Gragt, Janssen — they've been playing together for years."
Prediction: USWNT 2, Netherlands 1
Having midfielder Rose Lavelle on the field from the start could be the difference for the favorites, who lacked the crafty midfielder's intelligence and creativity for most of its opening match. In her first action since tweaking her knee in an April friendly, Lavelle came off the bench in the second half of the 3-0 victory over Vietnam.
[Why USWNT believes Rose Lavelle is primed for World Cup encore]
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.i
