Match preview: The Netherlands vs USA
The Netherlands vs USA will see the two sides meet for the first time in a FIFA World Cup to kick-off the knockout stages of the World Cup. The match will take place at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday 2nd December at 15.00 GMT.
The Dutch booked their place in the round of 16, alongside Group A runners-up Senegal. They picked up seven points from their three games.
The Netherlands maintained their exceptional streak of progressing to the knock out stages in every World Cup they have played in since 1934.
The USA qualified second in group B, behind winners England. Gregg Berhalter’s team progressed after beating Iran 1-0 and holding on for draws against England and Wales. It will be their first knockout match in the tournament since 2014 having missed out on the tournament altogether four years ago.
The Netherlands lack goals
Breakout star Cody Gakpo, 23, scored in three successive World Cup matches to become the fourth man in Dutch history to do so after after Johan Neeskens (1974) Dennis Bergkamp (1994) and Wesley Sneijder (2010).
Frenkie de Jong has been instrumental in the attacking success of the Oranje, who managed just eight shots on goal during the group stage.
Manager, Louis van Gaal, dismissed worries about their lack of attacking returns. The former Manchester United manager emphasised the focus of his team was the game against the USA.
USA woes against European opponents
The USA have a poor record against European nations at the World Cup, 1-11-7. The winless streak is now 11 following the two group stage draws against Wales and England in Qatar. They did famously upset England in 1950 claiming a 1-0 win in Minas Gerais, Brazil, but have not beaten a European football team in the World Cup since 2002.
Of the such 11 games they have drawn six and lost five. Their three previous knockout games against European nations at the World Cup have all ended in defeat
Victory over Iran also marked a first win in six matches across all tournaments for the Stars and Stripes. With main man Christian Pulisic fitness in question, after suffering a pelvic contusion while scoring the winner against Iran.
USA vs Netherlands: history between teams.
Both the USA and the Dutch football teams have never met in the World Cup. Whenever these sides have gone head-to-head, the game has never ended in a draw.
These two nations have met six times and the Oranje won four contest between 1998 to 2010. In 2015, The USA national team managed to upset the Netherlands, 4-3, in Amsterdam in a friendly.
Prediction
The Netherlands are favourites to progress to the quarterfinals all thanks to to the ruthlessness of Cody Gakpo. If the USA find a way to shut the Manchester United-bound star, they could go on to cause an upset as the Dutch have not been busy in front of goal.
The fitness of Pulisic adds to the hurdle the USA have to jump over.
