UK: 18+ USA: 21+ | Begambleaware.org | T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly
A clinical performance from the Netherlands saw Team America bow out in the first knockout stage of Qatar 2022. The Dutchmen made the most of their opportunities and hurt the Americans, who could not find an inlet into their final third.
Denzel Dumfries was the star of the show, laying down two assists and hitting the back of the net as well. The Inter defender kickstarted the proceedings as he unlocked the defence in the tenth minute, Memphis Depay did not waste the opportunity and got the Dutchmen flying.
Daley Blind profited from Dumfries’ service in the first minute of injury time. He jinked his way into the box after receiving a short pass and sent a thunderous shot that beat the USA goalkeeper.
The second half saw the Netherlands impose themselves on USMNT. However, it was the minnows who scored against the run of play thanks to Christian Pulisic’s magic. Haji Wright got on the scoreboard but the deficit would again increase to two goals five minutes later.
Dumfries was in the thick of things again. Blind turned provider for the Oranje’s third goal, ending the American’s short-lived hopes.
With both sides enjoying moments of dominance, the defining difference became the scoring efficiency. In the aftermath of their knockout, Gregg Berhalter was quick to point at this.
He hailed Depay for his 10th-minute strike and the influence it had on the scheme of things. The Dutch forward scored his 43rd international goal, edging closer to Robin van Persie’s top-scorer record of 50 for the Netherlands.
With Berhalter starting a third different striker in the Round of 16 encounter, the absence of a reliable scorer was highlighted.
“We don’t have a Memphis Depay right now, who’s scoring in the Champions League,” Berhalter commented. “[The Netherlands] were clinical in their [scoring] opportunities in the first half. Other than that, there wasn’t much separating the teams.”
USMNT has taken large strides
After struggling in the qualifying fixtures, the USA impressed by getting out of Group B. They earned impressive draws against Wales and England and sealed their place in the knockout rounds with a win over Iran.
They were undone by the scoring prowess that only saw them score thrice in four matches. A place in the Round of 16 shows marked improvement and American fans should see the silver lining.
At the culmination of their Qatar campaign, Berhalter praised his charges, who mixed with the best and proved their worth. He hailed the team environment that has evolved them into a team to fear.
“I think we’re a very difficult team to play. I think we’re a team that other countries don’t want to play against because of how we play, the intensity of how we play, the ball movement, the movement around the back line.”
“I’m really proud, when you think about how this group came together over the last three years, it’s really special to see. You don’t often get a bond like that between teammates, staff, and everyone, so I’m really proud of this group, but bitterly disappointed tonight.”
“When people look at our team they see a clear identity, they see guys that go out and fight for each other, they see the talent on the field, so we made progress, but on this particular night we came up short.”
What a ride.
Thank you for your unwavering support, from a grueling Qualifying journey to the Knockout Round here in Qatar.
It’s a privilege to represent the United States of America, and we can’t wait to play in front of you all on home soil in 2026.#OnlyForward 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/A1Fr1ERKXk
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) December 3, 2022
Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!
