Denzel Dumfries did the star act for Netherlands, as he provided two assists and scored a goal against the United States of America to seal a 3-1 win and a place in the FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter-finals for his team.
On Saturday, 3 December, the Dutch opened the scoring in the 10th minute as Memphis Depay received the ball from Dumfries and finished off a combined move in which several players had a role to play.
USA had a bright start to the game, but were outsmarted by their opponents. They enjoyed more than 60 percent of the ball possession in the first half against a stronger side, but failed to use it effectively.
Memphis Depay and Daley Blind scored in the first half to hand Netherlands a two-goal advantage. Defensive errors and lack of cutting edge in the final third cost USA, but they did not stop fighting.
USA’s Fightback Went in Vain
Coming on as a substitute, striker Haji Wright missed from a tight angle in the 75th, but pulled one back for his team just a minute later, when he netted a cross from Christian Pulisic with a stunning looping ball into the far corner.
Their comeback, however, did not mean much as Dumfries, who assisted Netherlands' first two goals, got on the scoreboard himself in the 81st minute to wrap up matters.
In the quarterfinals, the Netherlands will meet Lionel Messi's Argentina, who handed Australia a 2-1 defeat in their round of 16 fixture.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)