The Netherlands have booked a place in the semifinals of the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. They beat Italy 2-0 in a quarterfinal clash in Valenciennes on Saturday.
In the semis, they await the winner of the last quarterfinal of the event where Germany clash against Sweden.
#NED WIN! #ITANED ???? pic.twitter.com/PyRHLUFvKL
— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) June 29, 2019
Italy and the Netherlands were eager to join England and the United States of America in the semis. England beat Norway 3-0 in their quarterfinal clash, while the US knocked out the hosts, France, beating them by 2-1 in Paris on Friday.
It was goalless in the first half of the Italy-Netherlands match. In the second half, the Dutch upped the tempo as they pushed numbers forward.
The Netherlands won a set-piece and they made it count.
The Dutch were smelling blood, winning one free-kick after the other. The Italians were aware of the threat posed by their opponents in the dead-ball situation. That, however, did not stop them from committing fouls inside their half. The Dutch, once again, punished them with yet another header.