In the group stage of the Women's World Cup, the Netherlands beat Vietnam 7-0 to record the biggest margin of victory in the tournament, and in the knockout round of 16, they will welcome South Africa, who have no fear of any opponent.
The Netherlands were dominant in their three matches in Group E, not only winning twice, but also playing a 1-1 draw with the USA, as if they were repeating the 2019 final. As a result, they deservedly advanced to the Round of 16 by topping the group.
Martens, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, was outstanding on the pitch, posing a great threat to the opposing defense with her agility and accurate shooting. Arsenal's Dani Yundi and Manchester City's rising star Jael Lotte have injected a constant flow of creativity into the team, and with their aggressive pressing in the middle of the pitch, I expect them to dictate the pace of the game in the midfield.
However, what impressed me the most was 20-year-old Esme Burgess, the young PSV Yanhofen midfielder who contributed two goals in the win over Vietnam, key to the big win and paving the way for the team to avoid a hard-fought battle with Sweden in the Round of 16.
The South Africans are not a team to be trifled with. Their desire to win, determination and excellent teamwork are their greatest strengths. In the 3-2 victory over Italy, they showed their tenacious will to fight, and with the winning goal at the end of the match, they managed to secure the ticket to the Round of 16. Despite Italy's chances to turn the game around at one point in the match, the South Africans remained calm and composed and won the praise of the crowd.
The passionate and individual technical prowess of Giardilana and Hidamarjaya have injected a strong fighting spirit into the South African team and they are capable of posing a great challenge to the Dutch.
