26’

Naeher has to rush out to save the day!

The U.S. lets a long ball run toward Naeher, who very quickly realizes she’s going to need to win a footrace with Beerensteyn to get to it. She sprints out and whales the ball away with her right foot, but that could have been disastrous.

24’

Pressure up the middle; less of it outside

The United States is pressing the center quite a bit in the first half, trying to play balls ahead of its forwards and try to get the Dutch defense backtracking. But it’s not working, and it might be worth exploring something the Americans are very good at, too: stretching defenses by playing balls wide in midfield and up front, and then driving crosses into the spaces created by that stretching.

20’

Scary moment for the U.S. at the back

The Netherlands wins the ball in midfield and, after a stop and start exchange, reaches the top of the U.S. penalty area. The attack is broken up there, but worth noting Crystal Dunn got pulled inside by the threat, leaving an open player behind her on the wing. She has done that often in this World Cup and has avoided being punished so far. But it only takes one .....

13’

The Netherlands has survived the early pressure.

Rory Smith checks in:

Two things will please the Dutch about this game so far: one is that we have made it 13 minutes in and the United States has not yet scored: a fast start has been a characteristic of American games so far in this tournament. If the Netherlands can extend that to — say — 20 minutes, then we will have a game on our hands.

The second is that they are matching their opponents physically. If the Netherlands was not such a refined soccer nation, associated with art and beauty and all that is pure about the game, you would say that they have resolved to try to rough the Americans up a little bit.