The the Dutch Lionesses traveled with a 22-man selection to Japan on Wednesday morning, July 7, where a medal at the Olympic Games is the main goal. The Netherlands is the number three in the world and is the favorite in a group with Zambia, China and Brazil. Below you can read everything you need to know about the tournament in advance so that you don’t miss anything from the Olympic trip.
By Thijs Verhaar
A challenging draw, but one that obliges the Dutch to advance to the knockout phase. This is how national coach Sarina Wiegman summarized it when Brazil, China and Zambia rolled out of the box on April 21 during the group division. The South Americans are seventh in the world ranking, the Asians fourteenth and the African country is the number 104 in the world and therefore the underdog in Group F. “We have reached a high level in the last tournaments and we reached the final. If we reach that level again, we must indeed get through that group stage,” said Wiegman.
However, the national coach emphasizes that it all still has to happen against three alternating opponents with completely different playing styles. According to Wiegman, Brazil has a lot of talent, experience and speed. The team has the six-time world football player of the year Marta as its figurehead and played a 0-0 draw against the the Dutch at the end of 2020, although Wiegman notes that the Lionesses had not been together for 110 days due to canceled matches in corona time. The play-off seed China has to rely on discipline, while Zambia is described by Wiegman as ‘unpredictable, athletic and less structured’.
Because of the low place in the world ranking, the Zambians as the first Olympic opponent seem to be an ideal warm-up for the bigger work, but Wiegman is careful not to underestimate. “I am not blind to the world ranking. They have qualified on behalf of Africa and countries such as Cameroon and South Africa have not,” warns the national coach, who knows that all numbers 1 and 2 of a group go to the quarterfinals with two of the three best numbers 3. However, group win is the motto. to avoid top opponents for as long as possible.
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— FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) April 21, 2021
Groups A to D are for the men, so the ladies are divided into groups E, F and G.
If the Netherlands unexpectedly does not win the group stage, there is a chance that it will already play against the United States in the quarterfinals. Team USA won the World Cup final against the the Dutch Lionesses in 2019 and is also the top favorite in this tournament. Especially because reigning Olympic champion Germany has not qualified. If the Netherlands becomes first in the group, the number two from Group G will be the next opponent, with a second place they will compete against the number two from Group E and with a third place there can be a direct confrontation with the group winner of Group E. or Group G, provided that the Netherlands is still one of the two best numbers three.
When do the the Dutch Lionesses play?
The first group match for the Netherlands will be played against Zambia on Wednesday 21 July; start at 13.00 Dutch time. Three days later, the confrontation with Brazil will follow on Saturday, July 24, also at 1 p.m. The third and final group match against China will take place on Tuesday, July 27, starting at 1:30 PM. Subsequently, all quarter-finals are scheduled for Friday 30 July, the semi-finals on Monday 2 August, the consolation final on Thursday 5 August and the grand final on Friday 6 August.
The complete the Dutch selection
The the Dutch squad traveled to Japan with a 22-man squad, including four reserves that can only be added to the match selection in the event of serious injuries or calamities. Wiegman has chosen to appoint keeper Loes Geurts, midfielders Inessa Kaagman and Anouk Dekker, plus attacker Renate Jansen as reserves. Eighteen others do have a direct chance of playing time in the Olympic tournament:
Goal Women: Sari van Veenendaal (PSV), Lize Kop (Ajax).
Defenders: Merel van Dongen (Atlético Madrid), Kika van Es (FC Twente), Stefanie van der Gragt (Ajax), Dominique Janssen (VfL Wolfsburg), Aniek Nouwen (Chelsea), Lynn Wilms (FC Twente.
Midfielders: Daniëlle van de Donk (Olympique Lyon), Sisca Folkertsma (Bordeaux), Jackie Groenen (Manchester United), Victoria Pelova (Ajax), Jill Roord (VfL Wolfsburg), Sherida Spitse (Ajax).
Attackers: Lineth Beerensteyn (Bayern Munich), Lieke Martens (Barcelona), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal), Shanice van de Sanden (VfL Wolfsburg).
Intended starting team
Exactly one week before the start of the tournament, the the Dutch Lionesses played a closed exhibition game against Canada (3-3). This match replaced the intended goodbye game against South Africa, which could not take place due to multiple corona infections on the South African side. In Japan, therefore, the level was tested against Canada, where Wiegman had her intended starting eleven play in a familiar 4-3-3 formation. Van Veenendaal defended the goal, with Folkertsma, Nouwen, Van der Gragt and Janssen in front of them in the defence. The midfield was formed by Groenen, Van de Donk and Spitse, while Roord, Miedema and Martens formed the attack trio.
National coach Sarina Wiegman will say goodbye to the the Dutch Lionesses after the Olympic Games.
Last trick for Wiegman
For national coach Sarina Wiegman, it will be her last trick with the the Dutch Lionesses. She will transfer to the England women’s national team after the Olympics. The national coach led the the Dutch squad to the European title in their own country in 2017 and a beautiful silver medal was added in 2019 at the World Cup. An Olympic medal could be the icing on the cake for the 104-time international, who as a coach has already twice been named the best trainer in the world. She is succeeded in the Dutch national team by the English-American coach Mark Parsons of the American top club Portland Thorns.