The Netherlands sealed a spot at the round of 16 stage following the 6-0 thrashing of debutants Vietnam at the Forsyth Bar Stadium in Dunedin.
Andries Jonker’s side finished as the Group leaders and ahead of the United States of America in second following their 0-0 draw with Portugal in the other final group game played simultaneously.
The Netherlands got out of the bloc pretty early as they went there goals up after just 18 minutes of action.
The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup runner up broke the deadlock in the 8 minutecourtesy of an effort Lieke Martens. With the strike , she became the 1st woman from the Netherlands to score in 3 different FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Katja Snoeijs made it two for the Oranje ladies with a clinical strike three minutes after the opener. It was the Everton player’s first goal in a major tournament.
Seven minutes later and precisely in the 18th minute, the Netherlands were three goals to the good. This time it was Esmee Brugts who found the top corner with her effort. It was a FiFA Women’s world cup debut goal for Brugts.
It got better for the Netherland as Jill Roord’s close range finish made it four after just 23 minutes on the clock. In the last minute of the first half, Danielle van de Dink got on the act with a goal of her own and the Netherlands’ fifth, completing the first half destruction of Vietnam.
Twelve minutes after the restart, Esmee Brugts extended the Netherlands already unassailable lead with her second ever World Cuo goal and the Netherland’s sixth. With eight minutes left on the clock, Jill Roord grabbed her second and the Netherlands’ seventh
Elsewhere, and at the Eden Park in Auckland, the United States of America were held to a goalless draw by Portugal. However, it is the US that will be playing at the knock out stage of the World Cup.
The US, the tournament’s defending champions needed all three points if they were to seal top spot in the group but they fell short at the end and thanks to the Portuguese spirited efforts, they settled for second spot behind the Netherlands.
The US will now join the Netherlands as the Group’s second placed team in the next round of the tournament.