USWNT vs. Netherlands: Exciting Draw at Women's World Cup 2023 | Portugal Secures 2-0 Win Over Vietnam

 

The Women's World Cup encounter between the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) and the Netherlands, a rematch of the 2019 final, ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at the 2023 tournament. The Wellington Regional Stadium reverberated with chants of “U-S-A, U-S-A!” as the teams clashed in their second group stage match.

The Dutch swiftly took the lead in the 17th minute when midfielder Jill Roord skillfully found the back of the net past USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. This marked the first time the USWNT trailed in a Women's World Cup match since 2011 when they faced Brazil in the quarterfinals. Prior to this match, the US had gone on an impressive 17-match streak without trailing, which was the longest in the history of the tournament.

Eager for revenge after their 2-0 defeat in the 2019 World Cup final, the Netherlands put up a strong front. However, despite being behind at halftime, the USWNT dominated the first half with a 9-2 advantage in shots. Their persistence paid off in the 62nd minute when US captain Lindsey Horan scored a powerful header from a corner kick, leading to jubilant celebrations in the stands.

The USWNT's joy was short-lived, as a few minutes later, forward Alex Morgan's goal was disallowed due to an offside call. Despite five minutes of added stoppage time, neither team could break the deadlock, resulting in a well-deserved draw.

With this draw, the USWNT extended their unbeaten streak to 19 matches in the Women's World Cup, which remains the longest in the history of both men's and women's editions.

Speaking after the match, Horan expressed her disbelief at the team's comeback and equalizing goal, which prevented a defeat in the group stage. She acknowledged that while the first half performance could have been better, the team's response in the second half was impressive, with relentless pressure and numerous scoring opportunities.

Horan also praised the Dutch side, acknowledging their competitiveness and the accomplishments they achieved in the previous World Cup. The Dutch goalkeeper, Daphne van Domselaar, lauded her team's performance and composure, particularly in the first half, despite the USWNT's dominance in the latter part of the game.

In another match on the same day, Portugal secured a 2-0 victory over Vietnam in a battle of Group E debutants. Telma Encarnação opened the scoring within the first 10 minutes, and Francisca Nazareth added another goal, giving Portugal a well-deserved lead. Despite their best efforts, Vietnam couldn't recover from their two consecutive defeats and was eliminated from the tournament.

The USA, as the back-to-back defending champions, are now set to face Portugal on August 1, while the Netherlands will take on Vietnam on the same day. The group stage matches will conclude after August 3, following which the tournament will progress to the knockout stage with the remaining 16 teams