FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Defending champion United States held 1-1 by Netherlands in thriller

A second-half goal from co-captain Lindsey Horan allowed the United States to fight back for a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in a thrilling Women’s World Cup Group E match on Thursday.

The fiercely-fought re-run of the 2019 final lived up to its billing and both sides had good chances to win the fixture in an action-packed final 20 minutes.

The Dutch had struck first through a brilliant strike from Jill Roord from the edge of the box in the 17th minute, and the U.S. went in at halftime trailing in a World Cup match for the first time since 2011.

Jill Roord (1st L) of Netherlands celebrates with teammates after scoring her team’s first goal.
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Horan answered in the 62nd minute with a great run to the near post to power an unstoppable header past Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.

The Americans had not been held to a draw in a World Cup match since 2015 and will rue their effort early in the game as well as an inability to take their chances at the end.

“Even though it didn’t finish the way we wanted (it) to finish I thought it was a good match for our team,” said U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski.

“What you saw in the second half is what you’re going to see going forward as a baseline.”

The USA remains top of Group E on goal difference from the Dutch heading into their final match against Portugal next Tuesday, but the Netherlands will be confident of erasing that advantage when they take on Vietnam at the same time.

“These games are battles from the first second to the last … the only thing you can say is women’s football has evolved a lot,” said Netherlands coach Andries Jonker.

“Before the match, I didn’t want a draw – we wanted to win. But after the second half, that’s what we wanted because the U.S. were really strong.”

The Netherlands broke the early impasse when Lieke Martens pierced the U.S. defence to get the Dutch into the attacking third, and Victoria Pelova cut the ball back for Roord to drill it past American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

The Americans reacted immediately to attempts by Trinity Rodman and Horan that the Netherlands keeper was able to save but were given another fright in the 29th minute when Dominique Janssen fired a sizzling shot just over the bar.

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The U.S. team, which is on the hunt for an unprecedented third consecutive title, came out in the second half with renewed resolve and got its reward when Horan equalised just after the hour mark.

Morgan thought she had put them in front a couple of minutes later when she put the ball in the net from Rodman’s pass, but the striker was ruled offside.

Ertz prevented disaster for the Americans in the 80th minute when she got her foot in front of the ball to block Esmee Brugts’s shot after a well-worked move by the Dutch.

As the US piled forward in search of a winner, Rodman screwed a shot wide of the far post, and Sophia Smith had an effort headed off the line by Lieke Martens, but the Dutch held firm to secure a point.