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Man of the Match: Denzel Dumfries set up two goals and scored the final
PHOTO: JOHN SIBLEY / REUTERS
Training Day:
Well, maybe it wasn't quite a training game for the man who was born in Rotterdam in 1996 and was named Denzel after a famous US actor.
But those who, as a nominal defensive player, have two assists after 90 minutes and the goal for the final score on their credit side can certainly pat themselves on the back for a successful World Cup round of 16.
Denzel Dumfries almost single-handedly knocked the USA out of the tournament.
He worked his right flank in front of the back three with power and timing, placed spotless, flat crosses and allowed Louis van Gaal's match plan to quickly shift from left to right on counter-attacks, attack after attack.
The result:
3:1 (2:0) the Elftal prevailed against the team from the USA, the Netherlands are the first quarter-finalists.
Here is the match report.
Greetings from Washington:
The USA is not suspected of being a footballing nation.
Basketball, American football, baseball and ice hockey are the big four. You only watch football when the women's national team is playing for a title.
That's the cliche, and it's still mostly true.
So it also seems a bit read how US President Joe Biden in a clip for the round of 16 said an avuncular »It's called soccer« for the best.
But at least: In the American homeland you looked at this round of 16.
Van Gaal's talisman is back:
the international audience saw active Americans who almost managed to take the lead early on through Christian Pulisic.
Andries Noppert was on the post.
The Elftal appeared to be waiting - but she didn't struggle, she lurked.
On switching quickly and setting up Dumfries on the right wing, who found striker Memphis with a low ball.
He finished with an overview and fine technique, it was his 15th goal in the 16th game under coach Louis van Gaal.
Robin van Persie's Netherlands record of 50 international goals is seven shy of Memphis, who started the tournament injured and only returned to the starting XI against Qatar.
Class reunion with the opponent:
60 percent possession of the ball, appealing attacking football, 4-3-3 formation: The USA played the first half more Dutch than the opponent.
Gregg Berhalter's team even had a talent from the Ajax forge on right-back: Sergiño Dest was born in Almere in the Netherlands, matured in Amsterdam for eight years and even played with the Oranje stars Frenkie de Jong and until the summer Memphis at FC Barcelona.
Dest was in the limelight only once against his native country – when he came too late to Daley Blind's goal to make it 2-0 (45+1).
Number one out of nowhere:
In the second half, both teams acted with a slightly more open visor than before the break: the USA wanted to catch up, the Netherlands were allowed to counterattack.
So not only 2.03-meter man Noppert, who had made it from Heerenveen without an international match to the World Cup goalkeeper, had to intervene a few times.
Above all, Matt Turner, US number one and unparalleled late starter, had his moment: The man from New Jersey only made his debut in Major League Soccer at the age of 23, five years later Turner is a professional at FC Arsenal and played well for his country against Memphis (61st, 71st) and Koopmeiners (71st).
An almost German problem:
The USA, on the other hand, did not manage to convert the good game system into a goal threat.
After Haji Wright and Josh Sargent, who was injured, Jesús Ferreira was the third center forward to start in the fourth World Cup game.
Similar to the German national team, a number nine is missing, which maintains or even raises the level of the team.
That Wright's goal came from a lucky arc lamp was telling.
Similar to the DFB team 2024, the USA will soon have a home tournament with the 2026 World Cup - by then, it is hoped, the young attackers will have developed into scorers.
Louis' path to the final:
The Netherlands now progress to the quarter-finals of van Gaal's final tournament as head coach.
In order to reach the final, South American hurdles await instead of North America: Next up is Argentina vs. Australia, who won the game; in the semi-finals, the opponent (barring any surprises) could be Brazil.
