US 1-1 Netherlands: Lindsey Horan’s Heroic Effort Keeps the United States from Losing at the Women’s World Cup

Team captain Lindsey Horan came through in the nick of time for defending champions, the United States, when the Netherlands threatened to cause a surprise upset at the Women’s World Cup.

Dutch player and recent Manchester City acquisition, Jill Roord, had the Netherlands on the brink of a historic victory after she expertly found the back of the net from just outside the box.

Despite being a dominant force in women’s soccer, boasting 13 consecutive wins spanning three tournaments, the US team grappled with penetrating a solid Netherlands defense until Horan equalized with a header from a corner kick.

In a rematch of the 2019 final, where the US triumphed 2-0 in Lyon, Savannah DeMelo missed a goal when the game was still scoreless, while Trinity Rodman forced a narrow save from Daphne van Domselaar shortly after the Dutch took the lead.

It seemed like a disappointing day was in store for the US when Julie Ertz’s header got deflected before Horan leveled the score.

With four points from two games, the United States remains atop Group E, with the Netherlands trailing on goal difference.

Netherlands coach Andries Jonker praised his team’s performance, “At times, it was truly extraordinary,” he said. “One has to be content with a 1-1 draw. These games are combats from start to end. Women’s football has progressed tremendously, and we’re right there, alongside the US. I’m highly pleased with that.”

Up next, the US faces Portugal at Eden Park, Auckland, on Tuesday (08:00 BST), and the Netherlands squares off against Vietnam in Dunedin at the same time.

Both Portugal and Vietnam, yet to secure a point, will play their second group game later in Hamilton (08:30 BST).

Fans of both teams cheered heartily as the match ended in a draw at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Wellington was filled with fanfare, hours before the match kicked off, with supporters from both nations rallying in the streets of New Zealand’s capital. The fan park buzzed with excitement, as some fans donned head-to-toe stars and stripes, while others dressed in traditional Dutch attire.

The biggest match among the 48 group games happening in Australia and New Zealand did not disappoint. The United States, victors over the Netherlands at the 2021 Olympics, are favorites to clinch their fifth World Cup despite 14 players making their debut.

Andries Jonker’s team, however, put up an impressive performance and seemed poised to send a strong message until Horan’s equalizing goal. Despite losing influential forward Vivianne Miedema to injury, and needing a last-minute goal against Iceland to qualify, the Dutch team is a strong contender to go far in this tournament.

The United States is still yet to reach its full potential in this World Cup. Despite their 3-0 victory over Vietnam, Andonovski’s team missed several chances, and it was a similar story against the Dutch. The team will look to correct this when they face Portugal in their final group game in Auckland.

The standout player of the match was Daniëlle van de Donk with an average rating of 8.00.

The match saw the Netherlands leading in ball possession with 56% against the US’s 44%. The US, however, led in terms of shots, with 18 attempts compared to the Netherlands’ 5, and corners, with 11 to the Netherlands’ 1. The match was competitive, with both teams committing several fouls – 15 by the Netherlands and 13 by the United States.

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More about Women’s World Cup

• Women’s World Cup 2023
• USA Women’s National Soccer Team
• Netherlands Women’s National Soccer Team
• Manchester City Women’s Team
• Match Statistics USA vs Netherlands
• Player Profile: Lindsey Horan
• Player Profile: Jill Roord