The Netherlands, who were runners-up in the Women's World Cup in 2019, head into the match with ambitions of winning the title, and are tested by their opening match against rivals Portugal.
Medima's injury has had a profound effect on the Dutch team, however, fortunately, their squad is full of strong players such as Martens and Berenstern who are able to create a goal threat, while Wendy Dank creates chances for her team with her creativity.
However, I think Ruud is the soul of the Dutch team. The newest addition to Manchester City's midfield core has been a revelation in the middle of the park. With her two-footed precision passing, outstanding technique and ability to score goals, I predict she will be extremely impressive in this tournament.
Portugal is steadily improving and recently drew with England, and I was impressed with the footwork of the players. They are similar to the Netherlands in that they like to control the ball and keep passing it around, trying to find a breakthrough in the opposing team's backfield.
Even though this World Cup is their first final week appearance, they have played in the previous two Women's EHF Cup final weeks and have a lot of players on the team with over 100 games for the national team and a lot of experience, so I'm sure they won't shy away from the game when it counts.
Former Chelsea player Porges plays a key role in the backline, while Dolores Schwa plays an important role in the middle of the midfield. I'm sure they'll want to beat the Netherlands as well, so strikers Tseiska Schwarz and Deanna Schwarz will be putting pressure on the Dutch defense in an attempt to capitalize on their opponent's mistakes.
