The Netherlands women’s football team has advanced to the quarter finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup following a convincing 2-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday. The Dutch side will now face Spain in the upcoming quarter-final match.
Jill Roord opened the scoring for the Netherlands with a goal in the ninth minute, giving her team an early advantage. Despite a spirited effort from South Africa, the Dutch defense remained resolute throughout the match.
In the 68th minute, Lineth Beerensteyn took advantage of a goalkeeping error by Kaylin Swart, nearly securing the victory for her side.
This milestone victory marks the first time South Africa, ranked 54th in the world, has reached the knockout stages of a FIFA Women’s World Cup. The South African team displayed commendable attacking efforts, with striker Thembi Kgatlana posing a consistent threat to the Dutch side. However, they were unable to capitalize on their chances.
Both teams faced challenges during the match, with South Africa experiencing injuries to Jermaine Seoposenwe and Bambanani Mbane. Mbane was stretchered off the field with an ankle injury.
On the other hand, Spain secured their place in the quarter finals with a dominant 5-1 win over Switzerland on the previous day.
The quarter-final match between Spain and Netherlands is scheduled to take place at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Friday, August 11, starting at 6:30 am. Indian football fans can catch the action on DD Sports on TV or live-stream the match via FanCode. The clash promises to be an exciting contest as both teams compete for a spot in the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.