Netherlands stands tall against US at Women's World Cup despite injuries to its forwards

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United States’ Julie Ertz, left, and Netherlands’ Katja Snoeijs jump for a header during the first half of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and the Netherlands in Wellington, New Zealand, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland)

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United States’ Lindsey Horan and Netherlands’ Danielle Van de Donk, left, battle for possession during the second half of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and the Netherlands in Wellington, New Zealand, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland)

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Netherlands’ Jill Roord reacts during the first half of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and the Netherlands in Wellington, New Zealand, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland)

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Netherlands’ Jill Roord, front, and United States’ Trinity Rodman battle for possession during the first half of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and the Netherlands in Wellington, New Zealand, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/John Cowpland)

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Netherlands’ Jill Roord, second left, is congratulated by teammates after scoring her team’s first goal during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and the Netherlands in Wellington, New Zealand, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga)

By JOE LISTER

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — They almost did it, even without their best forwards.

Netherlands got ahead of the United States early Thursday and then withstood a flurry of U.S. attacks to preserve a 1-1 draw in its rematch of the 2019 Women’s World Cup final.

The Dutch entered the match with a weakened attack. Vivianne Miedema, the country’s all-time leading women’s scorer, is out of the tournament entirely with a torn ACL.

After coach Andries Jonker selected Lineth Beerensteyn for the team’s first match against Portugal, Beerenstyn went down with an ankle injury. With Jonker’s top forwards out against the United States, he turned to Katja Snoeijs, a 26-year-old attacker for Everton.

“I think, a bit (of) mixed feelings,” Snoeijs said after the match. “I think we can be happy with the point, especially in the group phase, but I think we’re still looking to be better and to win a game like this as well.”

Snoeijs was only informed she’d be starting against the U.S. one day before the match. Jonker said the decision to give Snoeijs her first start of the tournament was a tactical one, because of how she fit with the team’s 3-5-2 formation.

“The system came about based on the analysis of the group. We analyzed the qualities within the group and how to use them on the pitch,” Jonker said.

Snoeijs said she didn’t feel pressure going into the match but still struggled to equal the level of intensity that the game brought and work within the system that Jonker had placed her in.

“I think I can look back at a good game,” she said. “Of course, I didn’t come in a lot of scoring positions. So, of course, that’s something I’ll be looking at — back at what I could have done better.”

Despite the struggles on the attacking end and allowing a draw after a confident first half, the Dutch seemed satisfied with taking the point in their second match of the tournament. Back in 2019, Netherlands lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final.

“We’re definitely not unhappy,” Netherlands goal scorer Jill Roord said. “I think we had a good game, especially the first half. Obviously, there were phases that we controlled and there were phases they controlled. So, in the end, I think 1-1 is a fair result.”

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Joe Lister is a student in John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.

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