Time to sign off with Andy Hunter’s match report. Thanks for joining me, it’s been fun. Until next time ...
The Netherlands go top of Group C, edging above Sweden on goals scored. Nothing is settled yet, though. In the final round of games on Sunday, the defending champions play Switzerland, while Sweden take on Portugal.
Both of the group outsiders could make it through if they can pull off a surprise win, but the two favourites will also have an eye on securing top spot in the group – and avoiding France in the quarter-finals.
Full time! Netherlands 3-2 Portugal
There’s no time for the corner – the referee blows for full time! Pereira is booked for her protests. An anticlimax at the end, but it’s the Netherlands who edge a cracking game.
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95 mins: Nervy moments at the last, as Jessica Silva gets on the ball and wins a corner. Ines Pereira is racing upfield ...
94 mins: A foul deep in their own half gives Portugal one more chance to hoy it long and hope for the best ...
93 mins: Two minutes – and another time-sapping free kick as Norton brings down Brugts.
92 mins: It’s headed clear, before Roord’s looping effort is collected by Pereira. Portugal have three minutes to find a leveller ...
90 mins: Beerensteyn wins a useful free kick, flicking the ball away from Marques and going over in instalments. Dutch free kick, out wide on the left ...
88 mins: Brugts gets involved with a neat low cross, but there’s nobody in orange on hand to connect with it. There will be five added minutes, I’m told.
86 mins: Jill Roord is upended by Diana Gomes, who goes in the book – but Roord joins her after offering some choice words to the referee.
84 mins: A last roll of the dice for Portugal? Neto is sending on Vanessa Marques and veteran striker Carolina Mendes. The impressive Tatiana Pinto and the even more impressive Diana Silva are the players going off.
82 mins: The Netherlands, meanwhile, are focusing on long balls down the channels towards Beerensteyn or Lieke Martens. The latter has just been replaced by Esmee Brugts, an 18-year-old forward whose favourite player growing up was ... Lieke Martens.
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80 mins: Norton hits a speculator, 25 yards out and at a narrow angle – it’s easily claimed by Van Domselaar. Portugal may need to push more players forward late on, and Ana Borges is urging the midfielders behind her to advance.
78 mins: Sherida Spitse has a go from distance, but it’s high and wide. At the other end, Diana Silva finds another pocket of space, but she’s a bit isolated up front and quickly closed down.
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75 mins: The Dutch have completed 325 passes – 200 more than their opponents – and have had 62% of possession. It hasn’t been as straightforward as those stats would suggest.
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73 mins: Portugal get upfield again but dally on the ball for too long, and the Netherlands threaten to break away. Mertens is in plenty of space, but is closed down without many options alongside her.
71 mins: See? Portugal pour forward again and after Silva’s cross is cleared, Fatima Pinto tests the Dutch keeper with a cushioned effort from distance. Too cushioned, in fact – but it’s another shot on target.
70 mins: That belting finish from Van de Donk, and the subsequent raft of changes, have stalled Portugal’s momentum – but they’ve shown Rocky Balboa-esque levels of resilience so far, so don’t rule them out yet.
68 mins: Another change for the Dutch – goalscorer Damaris Egurrola goes off, replaced by Ajax midfielder Victoria Pelova.
66 mins: Changes for Portugal – the captain, Dolores Silva, is replaced by Fatima Pinto. Left-back Marchão goes off, replaced by hot attacking prospect Kika Nazareth – the first female player to be represented by agent Jorge Mendes.
64 mins: Parsons makes a change, with Kerstin Casparij replacing Olislagers at left-back. The Netherlands have a free kick, and the chance to whip a cross in, but Spitse’s delivery drifts over the bar.
Just as they were looking dangerously short on inspiration, their best player on the night delivers a moment of brilliance. Van de Donk collects Marten’s pass on the edge of the area, takes a touch and curls the ball into the top corner!
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WHAT A GOAL! Netherlands 3-2 Portugal (Van de Donk 62')
Danielle van de Donk fires the Dutch back in front with one of the goals of the tournament so far!
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59 mins: Jessica Silva gets away from Egurrola and curls an ambitious effort on goal. On the touchline, Mark Parsons mulls his options – his side have looked second-best since half time ...
57 mins: Jessica Silva produces some flicks and tricks down the right, a rabona pass to Norton drawing appreciative noises from all sides of the ground.
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55 mins: Portugal make more in-roads – their diagonal through balls are causing the Dutch plenty of problems. They win a corner, but Van Domselaar claims it confidently. In the build-up, Beerensteyn tripped Costa and was booked.
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No goal! After a delay somewhere between lengthy and ponderous, the goal is disallowed for offside. VAR not doing the Dutch any favours tonight.
Goal? The Netherlands immediately push forward again, Van de Donk turning her market and finding Beerensteyn, whose low cross is absolutely belted into the bottom corner by Jill Roord. But hold on – the replay suggests Beerensteyn was just offside, although it’s a close-run thing.
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The Dutch deal with the initial corner but are too slow to get out, and Portugal work it to Carole Costa, the centre back in space on the right. Her cross is headed home by Diana Silva, and we are all square!
GOAL! Netherlands 2-2 Portugal (Diana Silva 47')
Hang on a minute! For the second game in a row, Portugal have come from two goals down to equalise!
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46 mins: Perhaps she sprinkled some stardust on them, as the winger immediately produces a pinpoint cross which Pinto heads on target. Van Domselaar does well to tip it over ...
Peep! The second half begins
We go again, after a short delay while Jessica Silva sorts out her boot laces ...
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“The maritime reference (32 mins) reminds me that this is a derby of two huge former seafaring powers,” notes [Blue] Peter Oh. “Anyway, it’s good to see Portugal plunder a goal, otherwise their campaign would have been dead in the water.”
Here’s Suzanne Wrack on Ellen White, England’s record chaser:
Portugal, then: they have a lot of skilful players, deployed in a tactical system that works for them. They might go far in this tournament, if only they could defend corners. As for the Dutch, they have been dragged back into a contest and the tournament heavyweights won’t find much to fear from their performance so far.
“Didn’t that ball roll far enough away from Silva before the contact?” asks Chris Amirault. “I see a foul, but the ball was nowhere near her when it happened.”
I think the ball deflected away off Janssen, so that may be moot. Going off social media though, a lot of people seem to think that penalty was soft. Can’t say I agree – there was clear contact.
Half time! Netherlands 2-1 Portugal
The defending champions took charge early on with two headers from corners, but Carole Costa’s penalty helped Portugal halve the deficit and the underdogs have shown plenty of attacking threat. It’s not over yet.
46 mins: A rare lull, as both teams look happy to go into the break with the scoreline as it is.
44 mins: A Dutch corner, but this time Pinto heads clear and Jill Roord’s follow-up effort may have cleared the stand behind the goal. Four added minutes at the end of this half.
41 mins: Portugal win another corner, Jessica Silva’s attempted cross turned behind. Van Domselaar is forced to palm the delivery over the bar – and from the next corner, the keeper has to be alert to punch clear at the near post!
Egurrola, the opening scorer, is booked for a foul on Silva in the buildup. I didn’t think I’d be saying this, but the Netherlands could do with half-time.
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GOAL! Netherlands 2-1 Portugal (Costa pen 37')
It’s the centre back, Carole Costa, who takes it – and she sends Van Domselaar the wrong way! The underdogs are back in the game, while Janssen is booked for the foul.
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34 mins: Penalty to Portugal! The dangerous Diana Silva finds space in the Dutch penalty area again, and checks inside past Janssen before going down. At first glance, there doesn’t seem much in it – but VAR advises the referee to have another look. Replays show that Janssen caught Silva’s heel as she went past – and Portugal have a route back into this ...
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32 mins: Another Dutch corner, and again the Portuguese defence look all at sea. It’s another free header for Van der Gragt, but this time Pereira claws the ball away!
30 mins: Portugal continue to do their thing, patiently passing the ball around and refusing to panic. They work it neatly upfield here, before Pinto’s well-struck shot cannons away off Dominique Janssen.
28 mins: Pinto is crowded out in midfield, with Spitse looking for Martens with a quick through ball that is cut out well by Gomes.
25 mins: Portugal look shaky in defence but they’re still offering a threat up front. Diana Silva latches on to a Norton through ball but goes for an ambitious lob across goal which drifts over the bar.
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23 mins: Oof, this should have been three – Martens finds more space in behind, and her cross finds Van de Donk at the far post, but the shot on goal loops wide.
21 mins: With Portugal playing such a high line, it’s up to their keeper to race out and deal with through balls. She does so very nicely here, sticking out a boot to clear with Beerensteyn bearing down on goal. Ines Pereira used to be an outfield player with Estoril, so she has that in her wheelhouse.
Amado gets booked for that high boot – a little harsh, if you ask me. Portugal are two down again, and you wouldn’t bank on them fighting back for a draw this time – they look so vulnerable from set pieces.
Van der Gragt generator! (You can have that for free) #NEDPOR
— Tom Davies (@tomdaviesE17) July 13, 2022
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GOAL! Netherlands 2-0 Portugal (Van der Gragt 16')
Another Dutch corner, and the defending champions double their lead! The ball bobbled around the area and was half-cleared – only for Martens’ volley to deflect into the path of Stefanie van der Gragt, who scores with a diving header. The centre-back gets a boot to the face for her troubles, and requires treatment.
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14 mins: Diana Silva gets the better of right-back Wilms, nicking the ball away and bolting down the touchline – but Van der Gragt gets across well to intercept.
12 mins: Pereira has to race a long way off her line to clear a long ball, as the underdogs look to settle things down again. Van de Donk has a strike from distance, but the Portugal keeper is safely behind it.
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“Reminder that this Portugal side are in much the same situation as the Denmark men’s team back in 1992. They too drew their first game before going on to … well, we all know what they managed after that,” writes Charles Antaki, well and truly jinxing Portugal just before that corner was taken.
9 mins: Big save! Van de Donk plays in Beerensteyn, who looks up and fires a rising shot towards the near post – but Pereira springs across to turn it behind!
Portugal will be so disappointed to concede from a set-piece, after making such an encouraging start. And their opponents could be in again ...
GOAL! Netherlands 1-0 Portugal (Egurrola 7')
And from Spitse’s second delivery, Damaris Egurrola climbs highest and sends a looping header in off the bar!
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6 mins: The Netherlands win a corner, which is headed behind by a Portuguese defender. They go again ...
5 mins: Portugal think they’ve taken the lead, Ana Borges prodding home from Diana Silva’s cross – but the flag is up, correctly but a little late. A warning for the Dutch, who have started slowly.
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3 mins: Andreia Norton twists away from her marker and fires in a cross, but Portugal are lacking numbers in the middle. Moments later, Borges is flagged offside but crosses to Pinto, who draws a save from Van Domselaar before the referee calls a halt ...
1 min: Egurrola is penalised for a shove on Diana Silva in midfield. Portugal move downfield and Tatiana Pinto skews an awkward shot wide.
Peep!
The referee, Croatia’s Ivana Martincic, gets us started. The Dutch are in all-orange while Portugal are sporting their mint-green change kit.
Portugal have some high-profile support in the stands; I’ve just spotted Rúben Dias, João Cancelo and Bernardo Silva taking their seats. All three play for Manchester City’s men’s side, and have made the trip out to Leigh for the game.
Besides that trio, the crowd is predominantly orange-clad, as expected. Both sets of teams are out for the anthems.
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The Netherlands fans do like a bit of orange.
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Previous: These two sides haven’t met competitively since the 2015 World Cup qualifiers, when the Dutch won 3-2 at home – and 7-0 in Portugal. Vivianne Miedema scored hat-tricks in both ties – the Portuguese defenders might be relieved she isn’t available tonight.
This week’s Moving the Goalposts newsletter is on Alexia Putellas, and the difficulty in coming back from an ACL injury.
In Group C’s early game, it finished Sweden 2-1 Switzerland. Here’s Maryam Naz’s match report from balmy Bramall Lane.
Mark Parsons has reshuffled his team with both Vivianne Miedema and Jackie Groenen out with Covid-19. Two emerging talents come into the side, in the shape of left-back Marisa Olislagers and midfielder Damaris Egurrola. Daphne van Domselaar continues in goal after replacing the injured Sari van Veenendaal during the draw with Sweden.
For Portugal, Francisco Neto goes with the same starting XI that picked up a point against Switzerland at this ground. You can read more about all the players here:
Team news
Netherlands (4-3-3): Van Domselaar; Wilms, Van der Gragt, Dominique Janssen, Olislagers; Spitse (c), Roord, Egurrola; Van de Donk, Beerensteyn, Martens.
Substitutes: Weimar, Lorsheyd, Van Dongen, Pelova, Renate Jansen, Dijkstra, Leuchter, Casparij, Brugts.
Portugal (4-3-3): Pereira; Amado, Gomes, Carole Costa, Marchão; Norton, Dolores Silva (c), Tatiana Pinto; Borges, Jessica Silva, Diana Silva.
Substitutes: Morais, Rute Costa, Correia, Rebelo, Pires, Marques, Fátima Pinto, Alves, Mendes, Nazareth, Faria, Encarnação.
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Preamble
Euro 2022 has had plenty to recommend it so far: heavyweight clashes, thumping victories, dramatic comebacks – but the group stages are yet to see a status-quo-shaking upset. Could it happen here? The Netherlands will kick off as big favourites, but there are reasons for the orange-clad army in the stands to feel nervous.
Portugal are the second-lowest ranked side in the tournament, qualifying as a result of Russia’s expulsion. After falling 2-0 down to Switzerland inside five minutes, the outsiders dug in impressively and were unlucky not to win the game, instead settling for a 2-2 draw that proved they belong at these finals.
With the Swiss pushing Sweden all the way in today’s early game, Group C is shaping up as the most competitive. The Dutch are in patchy form and a mounting list of absentees leave Mark Parsons’ side looking vulnerable, despite a creditable fightback of their own to claim a draw against Sweden in their opener.
This is a chance for the defending champions to finally arrive at this tournament, and an opportunity for Portugal to truly put themselves on the map. Kick-off: 8pm (BST).
