2010 FIFA World Cup Finalist Netherlands became the first team to through to the quarterfinals of the 2022 tournament after eliminating the USA 3-1 in the first round of 16 games on Saturday.
The Netherlands who had only scored three goals in the group stage equaled that tally in the first knockout stage against a confident-looking US team.
Goals from Ajax’s Daley Blind and Barcelona’s Memphis Depay signaled a strong start for the orange army as they controlled the first half.
Haji wright’s 76th-minute goal cut the deficit for the US to create some amount of anxiety in the final quarter-hour of the game.
However, Dutch nerves were steadied after Denzel Dumfries netted Holland’s third in the 81st to restore their two-goal advantage.
A lead that proved too much for the Stars and stripes to contest as the final whistle confirmed their exit at the second round as Netherlands’ advancement to the next round.
All the players were scoring their first goals of the tournament, which is also the first time in the games their top marksman Cody Gakpo was kept off the scoresheet.
This of course is good news for the head coach Louis Van Gaal who now has five different scorers which may prove useful in the quarter-finals where they will play the winner of the Argentina-Australia fixture next Friday (December).
