The Netherlands recorded their biggest win in the group stage of the Women's World Cup with a 7-0 victory over Vietnam. In the round of 16, they will face the fearless South Africa.
The Netherlands have done well in their three Group E matches, winning twice and playing a rematch of the 2019 final with the United States in a 1-1 draw, so I think they deserve a lot of credit for finishing first in the Round of 16.
Martens, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, is in great form up front and her mobility and control pose a threat to the opponent's defense. As for Arsenal's Dany Wendy Dang and Manchester City's newcomer Jacky Lott, they provide creativity and forcefulness in the middle of the field, so I expect them to control the game from the midfield position this time.
But the player who impressed me the most was 20-year-old Esme Burgess. I can't believe PSV Schönhofen has this incredibly talented midfielder in their ranks, and her two goals against Vietnam were the focal point of the win, which helped the team avoid a tough 16th-round clash with Sweden.
However, South Africa are no pushovers and I believe their strongest points are their desire to win, determination and teamwork. Their team spirit was also on display in their 3-2 win over Italy, where they qualified for the Round of 16 with the winning goal at the end of the match. Although Italy had a few chances to come back and win the match, South Africa responded calmly and performed admirably.
The passion and individual technical skills of Giardilana and Hidamarjaya have managed to propel this team forward and they are able to pose a huge threat to the Netherlands.
