Denzel Dumfries scored and set up another two as the Netherlands booked their place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a 3-1 win over the USA.
Louis Van Gaal’s side are the first side through to the last-eight, and it always looked likely after first half-goals from Memphis Depay and Daley Blind. The Dutch’s clinical edge proved the difference in a match that the USA had plenty of encouraging moments in.
Haji Wright’s fortunate finish with 15 minutes remaining threatened to set up a grandstand finish, only for Dumfries to swiftly restore the two-goal advantage to ensure a slightly more comfortably conclusion. The Netherlands will face either Argentina or Australia in the quarter-finals, with their unbeaten run now extended to 19 matches.
The USA flew out of the blocks and should have taken the lead inside three minutes when Christian Pulisic found himself clean through on goal, though the Chelsea man was denied by the outstretched leg of Andries Noppert.
They continued to dominate possession, until they were ruthlessly punished on the break as the Dutch scored against the run of play. A sensational flowing move resulted in Dumfries cutting the ball back for Depay, who swept a finish into the far corner.
Van Gaal’s tactics worked to perfection, sitting off and letting the American defence have the ball and then picking them off on the counter. Another decent USA spell proved to be in vain, as the lead was doubled with the final kick of the half.
It was almost a carbon copy of the first, Dumfries again with the low cross but this time it was Blind running onto it to put the Dutch in complete control.
Both sides had chances as the match opened up after the break, Tim Ream’s effort cleared off the line by Cody Gakpo from a corner before Depay’s effort from just outside the box was tipped over by Matt Turner.
The Arsenal goalkeeper produced a brilliant double save to keep his side in it, the second to deny Depay when the forward looked certain home from close range. It looked all the more important when the deficit was halved, Pulisic’s low cross somehow flicking off Wright and looping perfectly into the far corner.
But five minutes later the Netherlands were back in control, as Blind lifted a cross to the back post where Dumfries was completely free to cushion a volley past the helpless Turner, and keep the Dutch bid for a first World Cup still firmly on track.
