Netherlands are aiming for fifth quarter-final in last six appearances USA would equal best FIFA World Cup performance since 1930 with victory.
𝙺𝚒𝚌𝚔-𝚘𝚏𝚏 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 🇳🇱 – 🇺🇸!
From where do you support Oranje today? 🙌🧡#WorldCup #NEDUSA pic.twitter.com/jWhLlSWbSn
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) December 3, 2022
Both teams undefeated and conceded just once each in group stage.The Netherlands face a testing assignment against a youthful, energetic USA side in the first round of 16 tie at Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.
The Dutch won Group A with seven points, posting 2-0 wins over Senegal and Qatar either side of a draw with Ecuador. They have the greater pedigree too – three World Cup finals overall – but USA have their own cause for confidence after emerging unbeaten from the group stage, having followed up draws with Wales and England with a decisive 1-0 victory over Iran.
The goal now for the US is to progress to the quarter-finals for the first time since Korea/Japan 2002. They have a defensive record which augurs well – just one goal conceded – as they set about trying to stop the in-form Cody Gapko from scoring for the fourth game running at Qatar 2022.
The matchup. #USMNT x @Visa pic.twitter.com/3EuaUULPdS
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) December 2, 2022
Team news:
The good news for USA is that Christian Pulisic is hopeful of featuring after picking up a pelvic injury when scoring the winning goal against Iran on Tuesday night. Berhalter sound an optimistic note in Friday’s pre-match press conference when he said: “We’re going to see him on the training field today. What I think [is] it looks pretty good so we’ll have to see him today on the pitch to get confirmation of that.”
⬜ Tomorrow, we wear white. ⬜ #USMNT x @Visa pic.twitter.com/Mqixn1ImIG
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) December 2, 2022
It's time. #WorldCup knockouts start today! ⚔️🇺🇸#NothingLikeOranje #NEDUSA pic.twitter.com/1jdPgZuyEW
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) December 3, 2022
Possible starting XIs:
Netherlands: Andries Noppert; Jurrien Timber, Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake; Denzel Dumfries, Marten de Roon, Frenkie de Jong, Daley Blind; Davy Klaassen; Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo. Suspended: none Miss next match if booked: Matthijs de Ligt, Nathan Ake USA: Matt Turner; Sergino Dest, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie; Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Timothy Weah. Suspended: none Misses next match if booked: Sergino Dest, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Tim Ream, Kellyn Acosta
Head-to-head:
The Netherlands have won four of the nations’ five previous encounters starting with a 2-0 victory in Miami in February 1998, in which Ronald de Boer and Clarence Seedorf scored. There was the same outcome when they met again in May 2002 ahead of that year’s finals in Korea/Japan with Roy Makaay and Andy van der Meyde on target against a USA side which included today’s head coach Gregg Berhalter, general manager Brian McBride and Earnier Stewart, the sporting director of US Soccer.
The Netherlands earned subsequent friendly wins over USA on Dutch soil in February 2004 (1-0) and March 2010 (2-1). In the teams’ most recent encounter in June 2015, USA finally came out on top, coming back from 3-1 down with 20 minutes left to win 4-3 through a 90th-minute Bobby Wood goal.
The Netherlands have won four of their last five matches in the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup.
Excluding penalty shoot-outs, the Netherlands have not lost in their last ten FIFA World Cup matches (W7 D3). This is their longest run in the history of the competition.
Excluding penalty-shoot-outs, the Netherland have lost only one of their last 17 FIFA World Cup matches (W13 D3).
The Netherlands have faced Concacaf nations in two FIFA World Cup knockout ties. Both were in 2014, when they defeated Mexico 2-1 in the round of 16 and eliminated Costa Rica 4-3 on penalties in the quarter-finals following a 0-0 draw.
The Netherlands have only failed to score in one of their last 31 international matches.
Against Qatar, Gapko joined Johan Neeskens (30 June 1974-7 July 1974), Dennis Bergkamp (29 June 1994-9 July 1994) and Wesley Sneijder (28 June 2010-6 July 2010) in scoring in three consecutive matches for the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup. He could become the first player to score in four successive FIFA World Cup matches for the nation.
USA are without a win in their last 11 World Cup matches against European opposition (D5 L6).
USA lost their last two World Cup round of 16 matches in extra-time – against Ghana (2010) and )Belgium (2014) .
They have won only one of their previous seven matches in the World Cup knockout rounds (2-0 v Mexico in the round of 16 in 2002 with Berhalter in their team).
USA have lost only three of their last 11 World Cup matches (W3 D5).
They have only failed to score in two of their last 13 World Cup matches.
USA are without a win in their last 11 World Cup games against European opposition (D5 L6).
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said, “USA have demonstrated that they have an excellent team, I would even say one of the best teams, a team that is fine-tuned [but] it’s nothing we can’t overcome, USA have evolved rapidly and they have many players in top European clubs. They are a very energetic team with physically strong players. They make it tough for any opponent as you can tell from their results but we’ll do everything we can to beat them.”
USA coach Gregg Berhalter said, “We felt a responsibility to use this World Cup to create momentum in the United States for soccer and that is why we want to keep going. We want to keep doing well and make the country proud. [On his own links with the Netherlands where he played from 1994 to 2000] It’s nice to have some history, to have a connection with the country you are playing but it is still about business.”
Venue:Khalifa International Stadium.
Bengali