USA Women vs Holland Women. Women's World Cup Group E.
Sky StadiumAttendance27,312.
Match report as Lindsey Horan cancels out Jill Roord's opener; USA remain top of Group E on goal difference from the Dutch heading into their final match against Portugal next Tuesday; Netherlands play Vietnam in final group game
Thursday 27 July 2023 08:47, UK
A second-half goal from co-captain Lindsey Horan allowed USA 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 in Wellington and both sides had good chances to win the fixture in an action-packed final 20 minutes.
The Dutch struck first through a brilliant strike from Jill Roord from the edge of the box in the 17th minute and USA went in at half-time trailing in a World Cup match for the first time since 2011.
Horan answered for the four-times champions from a Rose Lavelle corner in the 62nd minute, making a great run to the near post to power an unstoppable header past Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
It came shortly after a confrontation between Horan and her Lyon teammate Danielle van de Donk, and the USA midfielder admitted that she challenged her anger into the goal.
"I don't think you ever want to get me mad because I don't react in a good way," Horan said. "I just want something more. I want to win more, I want to score more and I want more for my team.
"Dan is that type of player that, when she's on my team, it's incredible because she's going to fight to the last second to win the game, and go into that last tackle, and that's what she did. Unfortunately, I did not take it in a good way, I got a little heated, and she got to hear it.
"I think the first half, we feel a little bit disappointed in how we played, but I think we fixed things right away, the pressure that we got on, and the amount of chances and opportunities that came from it."
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.
They remain 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.
The Netherlands broke the impasse when Lieke Martens pierced USA'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 with 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.
USA, who are on the hunt for an unprecedented third consecutive title, came out in the second half with renewed resolve and got their reward when Horan equalised just after the hour mark.
Alex 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.
Julie Ertz prevented disaster for the Americans in the 80th minute when she got her foot in front of the ball to block Esmee Brugts' shot after a well-worked move by the Dutch.
USA 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 Martens, but the Dutch held firm to secure a point.
The group stage has begun and runs over a two-week period, finishing on August 3. Group winners and runners-up progress to the round of 16, which takes place from August 5 to August 8.
The quarter-finals, which will be held in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney, are scheduled for August 11 and 12.
The first semi-final will then be played on August 15 in Auckland, with the other semi-final taking place on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, which will then host the final on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
