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Sheffield (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Holders the Netherlands wanted a second half fightback to keep away from a dropping begin to their Euro 2022 defence as Jill Roord’s strike salvaged a 1-1 draw with Sweden in Sheffield.
Sweden have been seeking to actual revenge for his or her World Cup semi-final exit to the Dutch three years in the past and took a deserved led at half-time via Jonna Andersson’s calm end.
The Netherlands rallied because of Roord’s end early within the second half, however neither facet might discover a winner in entrance of one other document crowd for a bunch stage match not involving the host nation at a ladies’s European Championship of 21,342.
A match hyped as one of many greatest clashes of the group levels, acquired off to a sluggish begin as Sweden suffocated the provision line to the Netherlands’ star strike power of Vivianne Miedema and Lieke Mertens.
The Dutch have been additionally hit by the lack of goalkeeper and captain Sari Van Veenendaal to damage early, however her understudy Daphne Van Domselaar shone on simply her second worldwide look.
At second on the earth, Sweden are the best ranked staff within the match and confirmed why within the first 45 minutes.
Kosovare Asllani fired into the side-netting and Barcelona ahead Firdolina Rolfo practically caught out Van Domselaar with a spectacular try from midway that drifted simply over.
Sweden’s strain was lastly rewarded on 35 minutes when Asllani’s trickery opened up the Dutch defence and her cross picked out Andersson on the again submit to coolly slot dwelling.
– Miedema magic –
Netherlands’ boss Mark Parsons has been criticised for failing to match the requirements set by Sarina Wiegman, since she departed her homeland to take cost of England.
Nevertheless, Parsons made an affect along with his half-time staff discuss because the holders got here out with way more aggression to start out the second half and acquired their reward.
Miedema confirmed only a glimpse of her capacity to vary the sport straight away as a dummy allowed her to cost down the left wing.
The Arsenal striker’s cross was deflected by a Swedish defender however solely into the trail of Roord, who fired into the underside nook on the flip.
Miedema has been heralded as each one of the best quantity 9 and 10 within the ladies’s sport and it was his creativity that almost gained the sport for the Netherlands.
She picked out Roord’s late run into the field, however Chelsea defender Magdalena Eriksson’s completely timed problem preserved Sweden’s unbeaten run in open play stretching again to March 2020 intact.
On the different finish Rolfo pressured Van Domselaar right into a flying save as stoppage time loomed, however either side needed to accept some extent.
Within the different sport in Group C, Portugal fought again from conceding twice within the first 5 minutes to grab a 2-2 draw in opposition to Switzerland in Leigh.
Sweden and the Netherlands stay robust favourites to make the knockout levels, however the Swiss seemed set to offer themselves a shot with a blistering begin as Coumba Sow fired in a superb strike earlier than Rahel Kiwic headed in from a free-kick.
Portugal wouldn’t even have certified had it not been for Russia’s expulsion as a result of invasion of Ukraine.
However they proved they aren’t simply in England to make up the numbers by scoring twice in seven second half minutes to take some extent.
Diana Gomes bundled the ball in on the hour mark and Jessica Silva offered a deft contact to Tatiana Pinto’s cross to degree.
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