The Netherlands scored three wide-open goals in their 3-1 win over the USA today at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Qatar.
The Dutch took the lead early in the 10th minute of the game. Denzel Dumfries passed the ball toward the top middle of the box where Memphis Depay who was wide open, and able to pass the ball into the lower left side of the goal without not pressure on him.
Right at the end of the first half Dutch midfielder Daley Blind scored an identical goal but from even closer in. Same pass, same touch, another wide-open player, with Blind passing it into the same lower left corner.
The USA had opportunities, including a one-on-one Christian Pulisic had with the keeper. But those chances happened by luck more often than they were created. It seemed like they would pass the ball forward but had no plan for when they would get near the Dutch box.
Luckily, they would get a goal back in the 76th minute thanks to Haji Wright’s good fortune. Pulisic would dribble into the right side of the box and play a hard pass to Wright, who somehow flicked it with the outside of his right foot, causing the ball to loop up behind him, and over three people before it came down and into the left side netting of the goal.
The Dutch scored the final goal in the 81st minute when a cross went over everyone right to Denzel Dumfries, who had been wide open and flailing his arms, asking for the pass. Dumfries then had an easy tap from inside the six that froze American keeper Matt Turner, and went into the left-side netting.
I think if the US had been more strategic with their chances and done a better job marking players, the result could have just as easily been the other way around.
Photo: Memphis Depay – Shutterstock – Vitalii Vitleo – ID: 1993826132