COVID put a damper on international play in the women’s game, but we’ve finally reached a point where nations feel comfortable enough to travel. That being said, the USWNT is back in action, and they’re facing off against a familiar foe. Holland poses a different threat than most USWNT opponents, as they’re ranked No. 4 in the world. Considering the Americans have to travel to the Netherlands, it should make for an intriguing affair. Let’s take a closer look at the match in GSN’s USWNT vs. Netherlands preview.
Both sides have met on three separate occasions. The most recent of course, was a 2-0 USWNT win in the 2019 World Cup Final. The USWNT won their prior two meetings as well, but this is a golden generation for the Netherlands. Vivianne Miedema and Lieke Martens is one of the best striker partnerships in the world. With support from playmakers like Danielle van de Donk, Sherida Spitse, and Jackie Groenen, Holland can cause problems for the USWNT at the back.
For the USWNT, this is a great opportunity to give college stars an opportunity to play in a senior team camp. Players like Naomi Girma and Catarina Macario are in from Stanford, Jaelin Howell from Florida State, and Mia Fishel from UCLA. While they might not see the field, this is valuable experience for them. Other NWSL stars who played well in the Challenge Cup like Bethany Balcer, Sarah Gorden, and Kealia Watt were also called into camp.
Considering the roster that Vlakto Andonovski has picked, there’s a chance the USWNT could have trouble with the Netherlands. However, Vlatko is 10-0-0, which is tied for the best start for any USWNT manager. Expect the coaching staff to come out with a great game plan to slow down the Netherlands. If they’re done it before, there’s no reason why the Americans can’t do it again.
Lynn Williams is the best scorer the USWNT have to offer this camp and will look to wreak havoc down the wings as she has under Vlatko. Sophia Smith could also sneak into the starting XI over Ashley Hatch or Watt. If not, we can still see her getting in some real minutes for the Stars and Stripes.
Considering it’s the first game back after an extended period of time, both sides will start out tentative to feel each other out. Expect to see plenty of possession on the pitch as well, reminiscent of the 2019 World Cup Final. The Netherlands, with a roster at full strength, might be able to pull this off, but as long as the USWNT are in sync, they should be just fine.
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