The Big Story 13: USWNT escapes group stage, Netherlands finishes first

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Day 13 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup opened with the Netherlands dominating Vietnam while the United States escaped Group E in second place with a scoreless draw against Portugal. The next set of simultaneous matches concluded Group D play with England taking on China and Haiti playing Denmark.




Couldn’t watch and need to know what the big story is? This is what happened on the 13th day of the World Cup.

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Your bite-sized recap of Day 13 of the 2023 Women’s World Cup



Portugal 0, United States 0



The Big Story: The U.S. women’s national team did just enough to make it through to the knockout stage of the World Cup in an altogether unimpressive scoreless draw against Portugal.




The Big Moment: Late in the match Portugal was looking dangerous and in stoppage time Ana Capeta found space between the United States centerbacks and narrowly missed advancing her team to the knockout stage, hitting the post.

It doesn't get much closer than this pic.twitter.com/OdiVCvQkaY
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023

What it means: The United States went into the match even with the Netherlands on points but ahead on goal differential, needing a win and superior goal differential to take first in the group or just a tie in order to advance. Portugal was looking for their second win of the group stage and attempting to make it out of the group stage in their first World Cup appearance.




For Portugal it was a terrific performance. They shutout the top ranked team in the world and even controlled large portions of the match, they perhaps even deserved to win the game and advance. The Portuguese controlled 56% of the possession and frustrated the United States, not giving them easy chances and disrupting any sense of rhythm.




The United States looked discombobulated, the players did not appear to be on the same page as far as controlling the ball and building a cohesive attack. That’s not to say that the US didn’t have chances, with 17 shots on the day and 6 on frame, the opportunities were there but, as Rose Lavelle said postgame, the team was missing ruthelessness in front of the net. Lynn Williams made her World Cup debut and created the most dangerous chances for the US, which begs the question, where was she in the first two group matches?

Another big chance for the @USWNT! pic.twitter.com/KZvHLzxoY9
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023

It was a highly physical match and the referee was letting a lot of things slide in the first half without blowing the whistle. But as the match progressed they started calling more and the game ended with 26 fouls and 6 yellow cards between the two teams. The most impactful of these was Rose Lavelle’s yellow card early, which in combination with her card against the Netherlands means that she will not be available to play in the Round of 16.




Head coach Vlatko Andonovski did use substitutes in this match, although not as anyone really expected. After an abysmal first half, no subs were made until Megan Rapinoe replaced Sophia Smith in the 61st minute. No more changes were made until the 84th minute when Trinity Rodman came in for Lynn Williams in a like for like substitution and Emily Sonnett went in for Lindsey Horan to give the US the ability to play a five back. With just a minute left in stoppage, Kelley O’Hara and Alyssa Thompson made their way into the match to waste some time and close out the result. Andonovski waited as long as possible to make the substitutes and even then it felt like the subs were put in to make sure that the squad didn’t lose, instead of going for the win.




– Taylor Vincent




Vietnam 0, Netherlands 7



The Big Story: The Netherlands came out with their foot on the gas and never took it off, scoring five goals in the first half from five different players and continuing the clinical finishing in the second 45.




The Big Moment: Netherlands started a bit slow in the first few minutes, but this Lieke Martens chip under pressure was just the beginning of the Netherlands’ scoring.

THERE IT IS!

Lieke Martens finds the back of the net with a wonderful chip and becomes the first player to score in three FIFA World Cups for Netherlands pic.twitter.com/owhgTKhmsc
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023

What it means: As winners of Group E the Dutch will get to avoid likely Group G winners Sweden and put themselves in position to advance further in the tournament. The Netherlands came into the match equal to the United States on points, but behind two in goal differential. Vietnam entered this third group stage match unable to advance but looking for their first World Cup win.




After Lieke Martens’s 8th minute goal, the shots and the goals kept raining in for the Oranje Leeuwinnen throughout the first half. Their crosses were spot on in the box, they followed through on shots, and Esmee Brugts hit an absolute bager that instantly became one of the best goals of the tournament so far.

WHAT A STRIKE BY ESMEE BRUGTS

Netherlands makes it 3-0 in the first 18 minutes! pic.twitter.com/ZmyspLKSWS
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023

Vietnam brought in two substitutes midway through the first half in hopes that it would jumpstart the momentum in their favor, and although it worked for a bit, the Netherlands eventually broke through again. After the Netherlands scored their sixth goal of the night in the 57th minute, Vietnam brought in their final two subs on the night. Vietnam just didn’t have an answer to the Netherlands’ pervasive attack, who were playing some of their best football of the tournament thus far.




– Taylor Vincent



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