NETHERLANDS BECAME THE first team through to the World Cup quarter-finals with an entertaining 3-1 victory over the USA.
Memphis Depay finished off a superb move to open the scoring in the 10th minute and Daley Blind made it two at Khalifa International Stadium just before half-time.
The US threatened a comeback when Haji Wright pulled one back in the 76th minute but Denzel Dumfries ensured it was the Dutch that progressed to the last eight with their third five minutes later.
Louis Van Gaal named an unchanged side from the one that beat Qatar in their final group match while Walker Zimmerman and Jesus Ferreira came in for the US.
Gregg Berhalter’s team made an excellent start and had a golden chance to take the lead in the third minute when Tyler Adams flicked the ball over the top for Christian Pulisic but Andries Noppert pulled off an excellent save.
All the attacking intent was coming from the US but Netherlands scored from their first real foray forward.
One of the best moves of the tournament saw the Dutch pass their way through their opponents in clinical fashion before Dumfries perfectly cut the ball back from wide on the right for the onrushing Depay, who swept it into the bottom corner.
The Dutch have been criticised at home for playing dull football and for the next half an hour, barring one shot fired well over the bar by Blind, they were content simply to keep their opponents at arm’s length.
The US finally tested Noppert again in the 43rd minute with a crisply struck shot from Timothy Weah from 22 yards but heading into stoppage time Netherlands doubled their advantage.
In a near copy of the first goal, Dumfries again played the ball in low from the right and this time it was Blind who stroked his shot into the net before celebrating with his father Danny, who is on Netherlands’ coaching staff.
Both managers made changes at the break, with Steven Bergwijn and Teun Koopmeiners coming on for the Dutch and Giovanni Reyna for the US.
Berhalter’s side needed a quick response and they almost got it as Tim Ream threatened from a corner but the defender could not get enough on the ball and Cody Gakpo cleared from in front of the line.
At the other end Matt Turner had to be alert to prevent Zimmerman scoring an own goal after he got a toe to another cross from Dumfries before pushing Depay’s dipping effort over the bar.
The US were living dangerously as they pushed for a way back into the game, and Turner pulled off a fine double save in the 71st minute, parrying Koopmeiners’ shot and then getting up to keep out Depay’s headed follow-up.
That looked even more important five minutes later when the US did get their goal.
Wright had come close moments earlier when he seized on a poor pass from Bergwijn and went round Noppert but his touch pushed him too wide and Dumfries was able to clear.
Pulisic was the architect of the goal with a ball in from the right that Wright somehow flicked with his heel over Noppert and into the far corner.
The keeper then came flying out to clear as Wright looked to break through again but US hopes ended nine minutes from time as the Dutch broke away and Dumfries grabbed the goal his performance deserved.
I wouldn’t bet on him playing for Real next season just yet .
@Limón Madrugada: I agree, defiantly not in the league games unless he really seems to prosper. Vinicius I feel was played too often and too fast this season too. He needs to work on his finishing
If I was going to start playing for Real Madrid I’d probably be vomiting too. Despicable club with the most ungrateful supporters.
@Vinny O’Shaughnessy: this statement is completely false. Every club has a small number of toxic supporters but that’s just football. Compared to other teams we aren’t too bad. Look at serie-A fans calling black players monkeys and so on. Yes some fans fail to show respect to club legends but that’s a common trait in Spain. Barcelona fans, Atletico fans etc are the same
@Claire Con: all well and good to point the finger but Real Madrid fans have also racially abused black opposition player, Dembele got it in El Clásico in February. But we both know that the commenter was referring to the amount of abuse and booing Real fans give their own players at the earliest sign of any problem.
@Dave O Keeffe: just not true.
@Claire Con: in fairness he said ungrateful fans
@Vinny O’Shaughnessy: cheap shot. Jealousy no doubt. What’s your club won this decade so far???
@Dave O Keeffe: and like I said, unfortunately fans like that exist everywhere. In fairness it isn’t as regular of an occurrence like in Italy (thank God) but unfortunately Spanish fans tend to be aggressive.
@Kieran Fogarty: in fairness he called the club despicable. Not the most accurate comment when you compare the club to others.
@Claire Con: Mbappe
@Limón Madrugada: several sources, including Dembele himself.
@Claire Con: except you specifically singled out serie A fans for racism as a defense of Madrid fans. In no way am I saying it’s just Madrid. It’s pretty prevalent in Spain.
@Dave O Keeffe: I wasn’t necessarily singling our anyone. I simply mean that this isn’t an irregular occurrence in serie A games. Literally something happens every game.