Despite an often dangerous South African team, it was the Netherlands, vice-world champions in 2019, who won this match and qualified for the quarter-finals of the World Cup. The “Oranje”, first in their group ahead of the United States, overcame the reigning African champions, 54th Fifa. They could count on their offensive efficiency.
From the 9th minute, following a corner, midfielder Jill Roord, who made her size speak, opened the scoring with a header, after a first header repelled by Parisian Lieke Martens, who then had a goal refused for offside (54th). The PSG midfielder is also behind the second goal: she served striker Lineth Beerensteyn, who took advantage of a handball error by goalkeeper Kaylin Swart (68th) to give an advantage that will not be filled.
The historic course of the South Africans therefore stopped on Sunday at the Sydney Football Stadium, still sold out. But as since the start of the World Cup, the players of coach Desiree Ellis were often dangerous on the counterattack, pushed by the 40,230 spectators. The new star of his country, striker Thembi Kgatlana, 27, made the difference with every ball and shook the defense of the “Oranje” several times (6th, 12th, 35th, 64th, 90th 2) . A permanent threat with his speed and dribbling.
But the captain never managed to capitalize on her opportunities, especially when she missed an equalizer, after a face-to-face just before half-time with goalkeeper Daphne Van Domselaar (45th 1). Ten minutes before, she had made a good sequence, after a stepover, but her shot had been easily captured (35th). It was already she who had offered victory to South Africa against Italy (3-2) in added time, in the last group match.
The offensive efficiency of the “Oranje” and the solidity of the defense, which bent but never sank, got the better of the “Banyana Banyana”, who also stood out off the pitch with their collective dances.
The Dutch, who had already beaten (5-1) the South Africans in a friendly match last year, will meet Spain in the quarter-finals next Friday in Wellington for a place in the last four.
