The Netherlands kicked off their UEFA Women’s European Championship campaign with an emphatic 3-0 triumph against Wales, leaving the Dragons searching for their first win in seven outings (D2, L5).
As the clear favourites, the Dutch arrived at this fixture having lost only once in their last six games (W4, D1). Facing the lowest-ranked side in the tournament, the Oranje were brimming with confidence to secure maximum points.
Andries Jonker’s squad came close to taking the lead in the fifth minute when Jill Roord cut inside from the left wing, curling a shot towards the far top corner, but Olivia Clark produced a stunning save to deny her.
The Welsh supporters had a moment of relief just before half-time, with Roord unleashing a fierce strike from the edge of the area that rattled the right post, sending a wave of hope across the stands.
However, their relief was brief, as the Netherlands broke the deadlock in the third minute of added time.
The goal was scored by a familiar face, with Vivianne Miedema, their all-time top scorer, netting her 100th goal for the Oranje in her 126th appearance.
The Dragons’ second half began in disastrous fashion, with Danielle van de Donk tearing through the Welsh defence and delivering a precise cutback for Victoria Pelova, who calmly slotted the ball past Clark into the bottom-left corner.
Jonker’s side were in the mood after the break, coming close to a third soon after when Roord struck the woodwork again, hitting the bar with a left-footed effort.
Wales’ woes continued as they fell three goals down just under an hour into the match, with Esmee Brugts finishing off Pelova’s impressive cross at the back post.
The Dutch dominated the remainder of the encounter, relentlessly pressing for a fourth goal.
They nearly achieved that with under five minutes to play when Lineth Beerensteyn sent Chastity Grant through on goal, only for her shot to be heroically cleared off the line by Lily Woodham.
In the end, the Netherlands secured a solid 3-0 win, taking them to the top of Group D ahead of England’s clash with France this evening.
Jonker will surely take pride in his team’s performance, with the Oranje showcasing their attacking prowess while also achieving their first clean sheet in 10 matches, marking a brilliant start to their Euro campaign.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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