Netherlands are the tallest team in competition. Set pieces and centers into pk box for header shots are their strength. Take a look in 2019 WWC vs. NZL 90+2' Roord scores header after simple lobe center into pk box during dying minutes - fight for the ball - let's see what happen - tallest head wins vs. CMR 41' Miedema header from vd Sanden accurate cross from right wing chase vs. CMR 48' Set piece. FK. Jenssen missed the first ball but scored one second later after gift clerance from an opponent. vs. CMR 85' Miedema scores from open play. vs. CAN 54' Set piece. FK. Dekker scores header from Spitse cross into pk box. vs. CAN 75' Beerensteyn scores from open play (low cross from right wing) vs. JPN 17' Set piece. CK. Martens scores from flick on near post - copying Sawa 2011 flicks (bit lucky cuz of Sugasawa error) vs. JPN 88' Set piece. PK. Martens scores. (again PK came from right wing action and Beerensteyn pass at pace into pk box mix - fight for it - let's see what happen) vs. ITA 70' Set piece. FK. Miedema scores header from Spitse cross into pk box vs. ITA 80' Set piece. FK. vd Gragt scores header from Spitse cross into pk box vs. SWE 99'. Groenen scores from idividual effort in extra time - a long range well placed shot. During Turnoi de France 2020 Dutch faced Brazil (0-0).They didn't go for set pieces/crosses/heders routine but actually tried to play. I'd say with some succes (this match was closer to the way they played at Euro 2017) but ultimatelly it was harder for them to get the result vs. skilled opponents. This month they did roll back to their usual routine vs. Spain ...and were outplayed cuz their opponets were ready for it. Aside from possesing the ball, Spain set their defense high which didn't allow Dutch headers to be effective (other thing is Dutch didn't won many). Netherlands were allowed only 1 CK and no effective range FK. Dutch wingers were allowed to enter final third with relative ease but mostly with their back towards goal, shielding the ball - no crosses. Spain forced them to pass on the ground - where Dutch were loosing ball quickly. I will not mention the Dutch vs. Australia game cuz the Matildas are in deep... - you know what - right now, and I was taught not to kick the lying man. in short - yes I can see Netherlands finish 3rd. I may change that opinion after June friendlies - depending what the Dutch will show us there.
Tomorrow's games: WE League preseason match Inac vs Nagano 13:00 Urawa vs Mynavi 14:00 Nadeshiko League Ehime vs Setagaya 12:00 Konomiya vs Nagoya 13:00 Nadeshiko League 2 Shizuoka vs Bunnys 13:00 Tsukba vs Belle 13:30
Tomorrow there also will be the 2nd leg of the Coppa Italia derby between Milan and Inter, but I'll surely miss the 1st Half, because I'll be at work! Let's hope Hasegawa waits for 2nd Half to score!
Latest NWSL Challenge Cup Nadeshiko-relevant results: - on Tuesday the 20th of April: NJ/NY Gotham City-North Carolina Courage 4-3 (Nahomi Kawasumi started for Gotham City and was subbed-out at 67', when the score was on 3-3); - on Wednesday the 21th of April: Orlando Pride-Washington Spirit 1-0 (Saori Takarada played the whole match for Spirit as a CB; Kumi Yokoyama was just subbed-in at 67'); - on Wednesday the 21th of April: Portland Thorns-OL Reign 2-0 (Yuka Momiki just sat on the bench all day; in the line-up it anyway looks like they insist on her, easier, second name, since she's just listed as Nicole Momiki ); Louisville FC (and Yuki Nagasato) didn't play this batch of games: they will open the next, by hosting North Carolina Courage on Monday the 26th of April.
H.T......Ehime 0 Setagaya 1 Yet another poor first half performance from Ehime.Four C.K's conceded in the first 10 mins of play.Setagaya controlling the game.Suggest Ehime fans would settle for a draw right now 46 mins.....Ehime 0 Setagaya 2 48 mins.....Ehime 0 Setagaya 3 62 mins.......Ehime 0 Setagaya 4
Meanwhile Narumiya scores goal no. 1 in WE League (well not exactly cuz of earlier Beleza and Omiya matches - but they weren't labeled as official WE League pre-season ) EDIT: Strike that. Narumiya scores goals no. 1 and no. 2
F.T.......Ehime 0 Setagaya 4 Comprehensive well deserved win.....Ehime are a shadow of the side they were last season but all hope is not lost...there are still vague hints of the one touch/two touch football they were playing and maybe when all the new mid fielders get to know each others game it may come back.....in attack they are now desperately missing their departed 'stars' Yamaguchi and Mami Ueno and are in big trouble in the goal scoring department....this viewer remains hopeful that things may improve....good news that skipper Matsumoto is back from injury ....and next....W.E. footie Edit....Help....can't get anything from elevensports for WE game Edit...anyone got pictures ye?..... 16 mins played
No joy here either. Talking about shooting themselves in the foot. Eleven Sports advertised it as free interntional stream with no registration needed. Let's hope they'll work it out for the rest of the games.
Talking about shooting themselves in the foot: Milan AC games had always been available so far on the club's Dailymotion official page, until last week they decided to only stream the replay later. Now, I'll admit that if they did the same today I wouldn't have much to complain, since I'll anyway have to miss the 1st Half live, but actually I hope that the no-streaming was a just-once thing (maybe due to the men's game at the same exact time?) and that Milan's matches will be available again, starting with today's Coppa Italia derby. Maybe blocking them was a greedy move tied to the failed Super League project? Joking! Anyway, you'll have to look for the link, @Lechus7, because I'll be at work when the match will start.
Promising something they can't deliver....how very 'European Super League' Seriously though...do hope they sort it out
HT, Urawa 1-0 Mynavi Sugasawa (PK) Mynavi is not so bad. Nagano and Miyazawa add some quality on this team.
Today's result: Nadeshiko League Ehime 0-4 Setagaya (OG, Ohtake 2, Yasuda) Konomiya 0-3 Nagoya (Ichihara, Takebayashi, Kato) Nadeshiko League 2 Shizuoka (Fujiwara, Miwa) 2-2 Bunnys (Sato, Takizawa) Tsukuba (Tomii, Furutera) 2-1 Belle (Nakamura)
Tomorrow's games: WE League preseason match Albi vs Nojima 14:00 Nadeshiko League Orca vs Harima 13:00 Nittaidai vs Ange Violet 13:00 Iga vs Yamato 13:00 Cerezo vs Nippatsu ? Nadeshiko League 2 NORD vs JFA 11:00 Kibi vs Anclas 2:00
Wow, I come home now and Milan is already ahead by 2-0 at 30'! Does anyone know how Hasegawa played so far? Link to the game: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7cd3of