Two teams with very different styles of play should combine for a gripping clash that will see the Netherlands' physical soccer take on Spain's free-flowing soccer.
The Netherlands produced some outstanding performances on their way to the Round of 8, but I think their 2-0 win over South Africa in the Round of 16 exposed some gaps at the back. The 2019 Women's World Cup runners-up, led by Wendy Garrett and Silkies, have experience at the back, but they will need the support of a pair of flankers in Berlusconi and Esme Burgess to cope with Spain's multi-man attack.
In my opinion, Dani Yundi and Gloria Lun will need to be at their best in the midfield to counter Spain's attack, while Jaeger-Lot, who has already scored, will need to be a threat to the opposition, especially in dead-ball situations.
On the other hand, Spain knocked out Switzerland 5-1 in the Round of 16 and won quite easily. With the quality of the team, I'm sure the players are confident that they can lead their country to their first ever Women's World Cup quarterfinal in this tournament. I thought Bommardi had a great game against Switzerland, scoring twice personally, and I feel that the team's ball control and attacking style of play is centered around her, so she's going to cause a lot of problems for the Dutch defense.
One of the most pleasing things about Spain is their ability to score goals from every position. Jennifer Boots Moussou, Ebali Dondo and Esther Gonzalez are all capable of scoring, and I'm very interested to see if coach Vidal will give Petenas a start.
