FIFA World Cup 2022: Depay, Blind, Dumfries' goals help Netherlands enter quarter-finals
Dec 03, 2022
Ar-Rayyan [Qatar], December 3: Memphis Depay, Daley Blind and Denzel Dumfries scored a goal each to guide Netherlands to a 3-1 victory over USA in the round of 16 match here at Khalifa International Stadium. With this win, the Dutch team made it to the quarter-finals and USA have been knocked out of the competition.
USA started off aggressively as Christian Pulisic came up with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box which was saved in the bottom right corner after an assist from Tyler Adams with a through ball.
In the 10th minute of the match, the Dutch team took the lead as Denzel Dumfries' assist helped Memphis Depay take a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Eight minutes later Cody Gakpo assist helped Daley Blind take a left-footed shot from the left side of the box which went too high.
In the 20th minute, USA's Walker Zimmerman tried a through ball but Christian Pulisic was caught offside.
In the next minute, Virgil van Dijk's assist helped Memphis Depay take a right-footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right missed to the left of the bar.
In the 43rd minute, USA pressed hard again when Timothy Weah's right-footed shot from outside the box was saved in the bottom right corner.
The 2010 World Cup finalist doubled their lead in the stoppage time of the first half when Denzel Dumfries' assist helped Daley Blind take a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. With this, the first half ended with the Dutch team taking a 2-0 lead.
In the second half too, USA started off aggressively when Christian Pulisic came with a cross from a corner as Weston McKennie's header from the centre of the box missed to the left.
USA players Sergino Dest, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Giovanni Reyna kept on trying but failed to convert it into goals.
In the 60th minute, Teun Koopmeiners of the Netherlands was shown a yellow card for a bad foul.
Finally, America broke the deadlock in the 76th minute when Pulisic's assist helped Haji Wright's right-footed attempt from the right side of the six-yard box to the bottom left corner.
The goal gave the Americans a semblance of hope for a comeback but that did not stay long as Blind's assist helped Denzel Dumfries take a left-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner to give Netherlands 3-1 lead.
The Netherlands had 42 per cent of possession but the United States of America had 58. The Dutch team had six shots on target while the Americans had eight shots on target.
