Netherlands rallies to tie Sweden in clash of title contenders 07/10/2022

Dutch star Vivianne Miedema stated the defending champions experienced to be happy of their reaction to salvage a 1-1 draw from Sweden to begin their Euro 2022 campaign on Saturday.

Sweden was hunting to actual revenge for its World Cup semifinal exit to the Dutch a few decades back and took a deserved direct at halftime via Jonna Andersson‘s calm end.

But the Netherlands hit back again to degree by way of Jill Roord‘s strike in entrance a history group of 21,342 in Sheffield for a group stage match not involving the host country at the European Championship.

“If you seem at our first 20 minutes we have to be really proud to get a place now,” reported Miedema. “Currently really showed that we can mature into this match.”

A match hyped as a single of the largest clashes of the group levels, bought off to a gradual start as Sweden suffocated the source line to Miedema and Lieke Mertens.

The Dutch had been also hit by the decline of goalkeeper and captain Sari Van Veenendaal to personal injury early, but her understudy, Daphne Van Domselaar, shone on just her next worldwide overall look.

At next in the globe, Sweden is the greatest rated staff in the match and confirmed why in the initial 45 minutes.

Kosovare Asllani fired into the aspect-netting and Barcelona forward Firdolina Rolfo just about caught out Van Domselaar with a impressive attempt from halfway that drifted just in excess of.

Sweden’s strain was lastly rewarded on 35 minutes when Asllani’s trickery opened up the Dutch defence and her cross picked out Andersson at the back article to coolly slot residence.

Netherlands’ boss Mark Parsons has been criticized for failing to match the criteria established by Sarina Wiegman, given that she departed her homeland to consider cost of England.

Having said that, Parsons designed an effect with his 50 %-time workforce discuss as the holders arrived out with significantly extra aggression to commence the next 50 % and received their reward.

Miedema confirmed just a glimpse of her capability to change the match in an fast as a dummy permitted her to demand down the remaining wing. The Arsenal striker’s go was deflected by a Swedish defender but only into the path of Roord, who fired into the bottom corner on the convert.

“She’s so skillful, we experienced to double up on her but those quite fantastic players you won’t be able to keep quiet for 90 minutes,” claimed Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson at the activity of stopping Miedema.

Sweden could still have taken all a few factors but for Van Domselaar’s traveling conserve to change Rolfo’s highly effective shot driving as stoppage time loomed.

In the other game in Group C, Portugal fought again from conceding twice in the very first 5 minutes to snatch a 2-2 draw versus Switzerland in Leigh.

Sweden and the Netherlands keep on being solid favorites to make the knockout levels, but the Swiss looked set to give them selves a shot with a blistering begin as Coumba Sow fired in a wonderful strike just before Rahel Kiwic headed in from a no cost-kick.

Portugal would not even have experienced experienced it not been for Russia’s expulsion due to the invasion of Ukraine. But it proved they are not just in England to make up the numbers by scoring two times in 7 next 50 % minutes to choose a issue.

Diana Gomes bundled the ball in on the hour mark and Jessica Silva supplied a deft touch to Tatiana Pinto‘s cross to stage.

“This is Portugal: a Portugal with soul, the fighting spirit,” reported Silva.  “The bravery shown was excellent but unfortunately we couldn’t rating additional. We have to be satisfied for what we delivered, reacting properly with an incredible 2nd half.”

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© Agence France-Presse