The the Dutch Lionesses also won their second exhibition game of the month on Wednesday-evening. The team of national coach Sarina Wiegman was thanks to goals from Jackie Groenen and Daniëlle van de Donk 2-1 too strong for Germany, which was seen as a light favorite in advance. The Dutch women had not won against their eastern neighbors for 21 years.
Compared to the practice match against Belgium (1-6 win), Wiegman changed the line-up in one place: goalkeeper Kop replaced captain Sari van Veenendaal, who was sitting on the bench. The Leeuwinnen were already close in the opening phase, when Jill Roord hit the intersection hard from a distance. In the rebound, Lieke Martens aimed over from a difficult angle. Moments later, it was still hit for the the Dutch.
GOAL! Jackie Groenen puts the Lionesses ahead! ??#veronicainside #NEDDUI pic.twitter.com/AiQAnAg1MG
– Veronica Inside (@veronicainside) February 24, 2021
Germany did not get the ball away properly, which allowed Miedema to gain possession of the ball on the right side of the penalty area. The striker pulled the ball back low, so that Jackie Groenen could run into it from about the penalty spot: 1-0. The German women came back into the game just before half time, when the low cross by Svenja Huth was slid in from the right by Laura Freigang: 1-1.
In the second half, Germany came out of the dressing rooms strongly, but Kop kept the Netherlands going twice. Fifteen minutes after the break, the the Dutch took the lead again. The pin of the broken Jill Roord went through the body of goalkeeper Merle Frohms against the crossbar and was headed in by Daniëlle van de Donk in the rebound: 2-1. A wrong pass in the build-up of Kop then led to an enormous opportunity for Lea Schuller, who was stopped by the goalkeeper in two instances.
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