NEW DELHI: Denzel Dumfries starred with a goal and two assists for the Netherlands as they became the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2022 with a convincing 3-1 victory over the United States on Saturday. Apart from Dumfries, Memphis Depay and Daley Blind scored for the Netherlands, while substitute Haji Wright scored the only goal for the USA at the Khalifa International stadium.
Netherlands will play Argentina, who beat Australia 2-1, in the last 8 stage. And it's the end of the road for the young and energetic US side.
Depay put the Netherlands in the lead in the 10th minute, before Blind doubled the advantage in the first half stoppage time. After trailing 0-2 at the halftime break, the USA scrambled a goal in the 76th minute through Wright to reduce the lead. But it did not last long for them with Dumfries, who assisted both the Netherlands' first half goals, sealing the match with a strike in the 81st minute.
The Dutch had looked to be comfortably in command of the opening Round of 16 tie in front of 44,846 spectators with two goals scored in similar fashion as Dumfries crossed from the right for Depay to net first in the 10th minute, and then Blind on the stroke of halftime.
But Wright pulled a goal back to offer the Americans hope of a comeback.
That lasted only five minutes, however, before Dumfries sealed a man-of-the-match performance with his 81st-minute goal, tucking away Blind's cross from the left.
But despite advancing to their seventh World Cup quarter-final since 1974, it was another Dutch performance at the Qatar World Cup that will not please their demanding supporters.
They were unusually cautious at times, played at a slow tempo, and lived dangerously as they allowed the Americans plenty of possession.
Yet they still looked a notch better than their opponents.
Cody Gakpo and Dumfries cleared off the line in the second half and goalkeeper Andries Noppert made several saves to keep a clean sheet as the Netherlands extended their unbeaten run since Louis van Gaal returned as coach last year to 19 games.
The Dutch survived an early scare when Christian Pulisic found himself free, and onside, with just the goalkeeper to beat but Noppert, the tallest man at the World Cup, stuck out his right leg to deny a shock opener.
The response from the Netherlands was swift. A series of 20 slick passes ended with Dumfries squaring the ball from right, pulling it back into the path of Depay, who delayed his run into the American penalty box and was unmarked as he smacked home the opener.
The lively start was quickly replaced with a more languid passage of play, the Dutch sitting back as they waited for counter attack chances.
That presented an opportunity for the Americans with Noppert forced to save again from Timothy Weah’s driving shot and Sergio Dest breaking through the defence but unable to get the ball out from under his feet and missing a good opportunity near the end of the first half.
Those missed opportunities were swiftly punished as Dutch broke again down the right and scored a carbon copy of the first goal when Dumfries pulled back his cross for 32-year-old left back Daley Blind to score in his 98th international.
Depay broke away after the break and looked odds-on to provide substitute Steven Bergwijn with the chance to make it 3-0 but played in a poor pass, followed by an American raid up the other end where Gakpo denied Tim Ream from close range.
Dumfries was in the right place to deny Wright in the 75th minute but could do little about the American goal as Pulisic's cross hit Wright on the heel and the ball looped into the net.
But in the end Dumfries proved decisive for the Dutch to move on to their next challenge against either Argentina or Australia in the last eight next Friday.
(With inputs from agencies)
