The Orange women passed the first test at the European Championship well by taking a point against one of the favorites, Sweden: 1-1. Jill Roord put the Orange next to Sweden, after European Championship debutant Daphne van Domselaar (22) had to allow a Swedish hit. The point in Sheffield offers plenty of perspective on the quarter-finals of the European Championship.
By Tim Reedijk
With Sweden, reigning European champion Orange met a favorite for the final victory of the European Championship in a well-filled Bramall Lane in Sheffield (21,342 spectators, of whom around 2500 fans from the Netherlands) tonight. After an initially balanced start, keeper and captain Sari van Veenendaal dropped out after an unfortunate moment.
That meant that after 21 minutes the 22-year-old Daphne van Domselaar of FC Twente had to defend the goal. She only played one exhibition game for the Orange before tonight, but now made an excellent impression as a replacement for Van Veenendaal.
She had no chance on the bet of the Swedish left wing defender Jonna Andersson, on whom the Orange could not get a grip in the first half. She was bird free, not covered by ‘hanging’ right winger Jill Roord or right back Lynn Wilms, and made 0-1 after Aniek Nouwen let herself be played out childishly by Kosovare Asllani.
Lieke Martens and Daniëlle van de Donk handed out pinpricks on the other side, but the Orange was powerless offensively. Striker Vivianne Miedema was walking on an island in the front and there was a lack of depth around her with the wandering Roord and the invisible Martens. And then Nouwen also had to leave with an ankle injury; she was replaced by Marisa Olislagers (FC Twente).
After the break, national coach Mark Parsons made a wise move by moving Roord to the center and making Van de Donk the wandering player on the right. Partly for this reason, the Orange played a much better second half. The same Roord shot the Orange next to Sweden a few minutes after the break.
After that goal, the game quickly reached an impasse, as in the initial phase. After all, in view of the quarter-finals, losing here in Sheffield would not be beneficial, so neither Sweden nor the Orange were taking too much risk. Earlier today, Portugal and Switzerland – the weaker opponents on paper – also played against each other in the group of Orange (2-2).
Parsons tried with Lineth Beerensteyn and Victoria Pelova for Roord and Van de Donk to get some new impetus in the team, but more than one point was not in it – and that was justified given the proportions on the field. The Orange Women have successfully passed the first test of the European Championship and can focus on two teams against which they can normally play much more dominantly than tonight. This also immediately beckons a place in the quarterfinals.
On Wednesday, the Netherlands will play against Portugal, which earlier tonight drew against Switzerland (2-2). On Sunday, July 17, the Swiss will be the last opponent of the Lionesses in the group stage of the European Championship.
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