When the U.S. team once again battled the Netherlands in Group E, the matchup seemed like a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final. However, four years have passed, and the two teams are already a far cry from each other.
The U.S. team, which is striving to make it three in a row at the Women's World Cup, has 14 players who are embarking on their first trip to finals week this time around. In the last round of the group stage, they were able to prove themselves with a big win over Vietnam, allowing several rookie players to prove their mettle. I believe that Sophia Smith, who scored two goals in the last match, will be one of the highlights of this Women's World Cup, and I fear that the Dutch team will struggle to contain her completely. Meanwhile, Lowen has also been impressive on the right side of the pitch, and the youngster is expected to continue to be a key force in the attacking end of the team, in conjunction with the experienced Alex Morgan.
As for the Dutch team, Coach Junca vowed to lead the team to revitalization after taking over last season. In the match against Portugal, they showed resilience and eventually won 1-0. In the game, 30-year-old Yunda Gat scored the winning goal. The defender's performance is not only solid, but also creates threats in corner kicks and free kicks, and is undoubtedly a key figure in the Dutch defense.
