Women’s World Cup: Oranje Meet Surprise Opponents South Africa

Netherlands vs South Africa

The 2023 Women’s World Cup has thrown up some great results, including some big shocks, and few people (outside Holland) would have predicted the Netherlands as Group E winners would meet South Africa, the runners up of Group G.

This SBOTOP writer certainly didn’t.     

Andries Jonker’s Netherlands finished top of group E to confound the Women’s World Cup 2023 betting odds as they beat red hot tournament favourites USA into second place. While the Oranje went crazy in their match with Vietnam, winning 7-0, the Stars and Stripes barely scraped through to the last 16 with a 0-0 draw against Portugal. 

Then the Netherlands fully expected to meet Italy in their Round of 16 tie on Sunday, but the Azzurri came up against a determined South Africa who snatched that knockout place from the Italians’ grasp in a five-goal thriller.     

South Africa head coach Deisree Ellis now needs to bring her girls back down to earth and plot another surprise; but at odds of 1.20 to win the Oranje will be ready.   

Talking Points

Oranje’s devastating win over Vietnam

They were fully expected to beat Vietnam but the manner of the Netherland’s win was brutal. After edging out Portugal 1-0 and playing out a 1-1 draw with the USA, Jonker’s girls went goal crazy, with 20-year old striker Esmee Brugts scoring two long range scorchers. They knew goal difference might be a decider and the Oranje were relentless, going 4-0 up by the 25-minute mark as Manchester City ace Jill Roord also bagged a brace, with Lieke Martens, Katja Snoeijs and Danielle van de Donk all adding goals in a breathless first half.       

After overshadowing the USA, the 2019 runners up have become serious contenders.  

Underdogs South Africa will fight to the end

It was one of the standout Women’s World Cup 2023 results of the tournament so far and South Africa’s 3-2 victory over Italy in Wellington gave the Banyana Banyana a first ever place in the knockout phase of the World Cup. When they entered second half stoppage time at 2-2 South Africa were out, but Louisville striker Thembi Kgatlana popped up with a dramatic 92^nd minute winner. Added to their 2-2 draw with Argentina that was enough to take Ellis’s team through.

Italy got off to a perfect start when Arianna Caruso calmly converted a spot kick after Karabo Dhlami tripped Chiara Beccari in the penalty area. But the Azzuri shot themselves in the foot when Benedetta Orsi rolled a back pass into her own net, past an unsuspecting Francesca Durante. South Africa took advantage of Italy’s disarray when Hildah Magaia gave them a 2-1 lead with a deft chip over Durante but then Italy’s best player, Caruso headed home the equaliser from a corner. It looked like VAR might save South Africa but not so, and the game appeared to be heading for a draw, which was enough for the Italians.

But South Africa weren’t finished, and when the Italy defence parted for Magaia she broke through and squared for Kgatlana who fired home the winner. After suffering an Achilles injury in 2022 and losing three family members during the World Cup this was a rare moment of joy for Kgatlana who said: “I could have gone home but I chose to stay with my girls. Because that’s how much it means.”

And the team fought hard, despite conceding the majority of possession to Italy and losing the on-target shot count by seven to four, their ‘never say die’ attitude paid off.    

History

The Netherlands have appeared at the World Cup finals three times so far, finishing as runners up in 2019, and they were European Champions in 2017 in one of their four appearances in that competition.

This is South Africa’s first foray into the knockout phases in four attempts, but they were African Cup of Nations Champions in 1996. 

The two teams have met four times previously, most recently in 2022 when the Netherlands won 5-1 to make it four wins from four.

In terms of recent form, the Oranje picked up seven points in their qualifying group, and that made it four wins from the last five, meanwhile South Korea have won just one in their last five games, that priceless victory over Italy.  

Betting tip

At ninth in the FIFA World Rankings the Oranje are a full 45 places above South Africa in 54^th and I expect Jonker’s girls to see off the battling Africans and make it through to the quarter finals.

While the Netherlands are unlikely to hit another magnificent seven, over 3.50 goals is priced at 1.91 and, for a correct score-line, 3-0 to the Netherlands is available at 7.33.  

 

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