In a first-ever competitive H2H between the two nations, it was USA who started on the front foot, with Christian Pulisic seeing an early strike thwarted by the outstretched leg of Andries Noppert. Despite their bright opening, the Americans were stunned by a brilliant Dutch move in the 10th minute, which culminated in Denzel Dumfries’ pull-back being clinically swept into the bottom corner by Memphis Depay to open the scoring for the Oranje.
Having never recorded a win in the FWC after conceding the opening goal (D5, L18), USA knew the importance of a positive response, but it was the Netherlands who looked the more threatening of the two sides, as Daley Blind and Depay both wasted good chances. The Dutch pressure continued to build, and eventually paid dividends on the stroke of HT, when another pinpoint delivery from Dumfries was confidently slotted home by Blind to double the Netherlands’ advantage.
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