DOHA (AP) – The Netherlands’ full backs proved the difference as veteran Daley Blind and hard-running Denzel Dumfries turned in decisive performances to help secure a 3-1 win over the United States in Saturday’s opening match of the World Cup knockout stages.
Dumfries netted and had two assists while Blind scored too as the Dutch saw off a brief spell of U.S. resistance to book a quarterfinal with Argentina or Australia, who play later.
Striker Memphis Depay got the first goal as the Netherlands advanced to a seventh World Cup quarterfinal.
A comfortable 2-0 halftime lead was halved in the 76th minute as the Americans finally made a breakthrough, even if scorer Haji Wright seemed to know little about the ball hitting his heel and then looping into the corner of the net.
However, any hopes they had of staging a comeback were ended five minutes later as Dumfries sealed his man-of-the-match performance by ghosting in at the back post and side-footing a volley into the net to restore the two-goal advantage.
The Dutch deserved the win but again there will be questions about whether they are serious World Cup contenders – something coach Louis van Gaal keeps insisting they are, although he was quick to admit Saturday’s showing could have been a lot better.