Accurate ambush of the Netherlands, which is already in the quarterfinals

"We dominate," said Gregg Berhalter, "but football is cruel."

The United States coach left the Khalifa Stadium convinced that his team had done everything right.

Impeccably well, perhaps, but at times and in places irrelevant to the outcome of the game, smoothly conquered by the Netherlands in the course of a series of ambushes very well conducted by De Jong, Depay, Gakpo and the striker Dumfries.

The organization contributed more to America's prosperity than its players.

Through the well-developed scaffolding of the 4-3-3, the midfielders Musah, Adams and McKennie rose, three players with great limitations who with their selection become competent operators, confident to manage the game in all orders but insufficient to lead your team to the top of the last big step.

There the Netherlands waited for him.

The nation that created the model that the Americans now exploit has renounced its application in Qatar.

Their coach, Louis van Gaal, made the trip there and is now back, with three central defenders and two pivots, without shame or fear of public opprobrium.

The fans judge him rigorously.

They demand more self-confidence, more audacity, less prudence.

But the players are well trained in inhibition.

Frenkie de Jong is the most dedicated executor of the new doctrine.

The Barça midfielder, who as an Ajax youth squad played many times as a center back, and did it magnificently well, is in charge of managing the fortress.

He rarely strays from Van Dijk, his lieutenant.

Between the two they ensure that the structure is maintained.

Knowing that they would be dominated, they let the United States invade their field from the outset.

So confident were the Dutch around their defenders that they almost missed getting into trouble.

It happened two minutes after the start, when a rejected ball after a cross ended in Pulisic and Blind broke the offside.

Hand in hand with the striker, Noppert deflected the shot with his leg.

Denzel Dumfries of the Netherlands kicks the ball.Jaime villanueva

Players of the Netherlands team celebrate Daley Blind's second goal. Jaime villanueva

Netherlands midfielder Daley Blind (left) scores the second goal.Jaime villanueva

Denzel Dumfries celebrates scoring the Netherlands' third goal.

JOHN SIBLEY (REUTERS)

Aké of the US team, on the ground, before a play with DeAndre Yedlin.Jaime villanueva

Daley Blind of the Netherlands scores the team's second goal.

Francisco Seco (AP)

Denzel Dumfries and Noppert of the Netherlands team during a play. Jaime villanueva

Netherlands striker Gakpo (foreground) and USA defender Walker Zimmerman battle for the ball.Jaime villanueva

Memphis Depay scores the first goal for the Netherlands team. MATTHEW CHILDS (REUTERS)

Cody Gakpo, from the Netherlands, takes control of the ball.

JEWEL SAMAD (AFP)

The American goalkeeper Matt Turner helps the defender of the Netherlands Dumfries. GIUSEPPE CACACE (AFP)

Christian Pulisic and Kellyn Acosta, of the US team, saddened after being eliminated from the competition. DYLAN MARTINEZ (REUTERS)

Tyler Adams (left), on the ground, after losing the match.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI (AFP)

Memphis Depay, from the Netherlands, hits the ball with his head.

ADRIAN DENNIS (AFP)

Celebration of the players from the Netherlands after beating the United States. Jaime Villanueva Sánchez

The episode changed the fate of the tie.

Forewarned of the danger they had been in, Van Dijk and his cast tried to pull the line 20 meters from their area while the Americans, buoyed by the opportunity so easily created, charged forward.

For a few minutes, the United States brought their entire block forward to put pressure on the man.

Choked by the plunger, the Dutch fell back in search of a way out when the figure of De Jong emerged.

Punctually to the rescue of the fortress, 10 minutes into the game, the midfielder escaped from his pursuer by getting the ball behind his defenses, Beckenbauer-style, and enabled the freest man, Timber, to start the play with a delivery to the most populated place on the field.

Then, paradoxically, there was light.

That movement that Van Gaal had indicated that they needed to make the transition more agilely was activated by Depay.

The forward went down to support Timber to a touch,

, with such discretion that he made the rigid Klaasen play loose for Gakpo, in a staggered succession that dragged the American pressure to the middle and cleared the band for the arrival of Dumfries.

The center and the definition of Depay were sewing and singing.

The Netherlands took the game where they wanted.

He didn't need possession to cause the United States to only have the ball in cold zones.

Away from the Noppert area, in the central circle, or on the wings, where the centers of Dest and Pulisic were innocuous.

Confused by the feeling of dominance, the Americans allowed themselves to be surprised by the counterattack.

One minute from the break, another Dumfries cross, a soldier from the previously cleared lane, was finished off by Daley Blind, the other winger, who ran to celebrate with the substitutes and his father, the mythical Danny, the coach's right-hand man.

The 2-1 for the United States was the product of another misdirected offside, after a corner.

Pulisic crossed and finished off with a spur — by fluke — Haji Wright.

The talkative American fans celebrated with overflowing optimism.

Unjustified by what was happening on the field, where De Jong cut passing lines, Van Dijk moved the line, Depay put the liberating touch and Dumfries galloped towards glory through the part of the field that his teammates had consciously depopulated.

Robinson, the American winger, lost sight of him, Pulisic didn't even consider following him, and McKennie neglected him for keeping an eye on Gakpo.

It was thus that the one-dimensional winger from Inter reached the area again, systematic as an automaton, and a pass from Blind scored the final 3-1.

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