Netherlands 7-0 Vietnam: Dutch win sees them top Group E
The Netherlands showed their dominance in Group E of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, securing a fantastic 7-0 victory against Vietnam, making them group toppers ahead of the former champions the United States.
Esmee Brugts stole the show with two brilliant long-range curling goals, one before the break and another after. Jill Roord also scored twice, and Lieke Martens, Katja Snoeijs, and Danielle van de Donk joined in the scoring spree.
With this impressive win, the 2019 runners-up have booked their spot in the last 16, where they’ll face the runners-up from Group G on Sunday.
Dutch strength
The Dutch team demonstrated their strength, maintaining an unchanged starting lineup from their draw against the reigning champions, the USA. Despite missing their all-time top goalscorer Vivianne Miedema due to an ACL injury, the Netherlands had no trouble finding the net, with five different players contributing to their goal tally.
Vietnam began with a bright effort to score their first-ever World Cup goal, but it didn’t last long as Martens skillfully lobbed the keeper to open the scoring after eight minutes. The floodgates opened, and Snoeijs quickly added a second before Brugts displayed her brilliance with a curling shot from 35 yards out, extending the lead to 3-0.
Roord tapped in the fourth goal, and Vietnam’s coach, Mai Duc Chung, made a double substitution to try and halt the Dutch attack. However, the Netherlands continued their onslaught, with Van de Donk netting a rebound to make it 5-0 just before half-time.
In the second half, Vietnam changed their goalkeeper, but it didn’t stop Brugts from scoring another sensational goal, almost identical to her first. The biggest winning margin of the tournament so far was completed when Stefanie van der Gragt set up Roord for an easy finish.
The Netherlands showcased their prowess and put on a remarkable performance, securing their top spot in the group and their place in the final-16, where it looks like they might face Italy. Whilst it’s not a shock the Netherlands won – it’s exciting the skill they showed and the performance they offered up.