After the awkward draw against Germany on the opening day, the Dutch girls have convincingly recovered at the European U18 Championship in Lille. Against weak Italy, coach Daan Sabel’s team scored a large and liberating victory: 8-0. At halftime it was already 5-0 for the Netherlands.
That the difference in strength between the two countries would be large was to be expected. Italy had already beaten England 12-0 on the opening day. On the same day the Netherlands drew 1-1 against Germany, in a game in which the Dutch missed more than enough chances, especially before half-time.
So against Italy they had to win. And preferably with a load of goals. Not only to increase the goal difference in the group, but also to boost confidence. The Orange girls played dominantly, moved the ball smoothly and combined happily.
Photo: WorldSportPics
At halftime it was already 5-0 for the Orange
Yara Akkerman – with her fifteen years the youngest in the selection – was the first to find the net. She was nicely served by Lotte Ruts, so the HDM attacker only had to tap the ball in. Olivia Huisman doubled the margin after a beautiful deep pass from Flore Bruggink. The Kampong striker outran the Italian goalkeeper and slid the 2-0 in with ease. Before that, Ellemeike Visser had aimed just over the goal and the first Dutch penalty corner failed.
Yet for a moment there was a glimmer of Italian hope. After one quarter it was ‘only’ 2-0 and the team even got a penalty corner. However, goalkeeper Lotte Mureau – normally second choice behind Marit van Buul – did not have to come into action: the shot by captain Eleonora di Paola was too high. So did Laura Emmerink, the Amsterdam midfielder from AMVJ who is playing for Italy this EC.
Imme de Leeuw and Lotte Mureau. Photo: WorldSportPics
The Netherlands continued to accelerate. Roos Alkemade and Eva van der Stap were already close, but it was defender Imme de Leeuw who managed to cash in on the second penalty corner: 3-0. Akkerman then scored her second of the day, again after preparatory work by Ruts (4-0), and captain Isabel Boere made it 5-0 at halftime with a penalty ball. Five goals in thirty minutes.
After assists also a goal for Lotte Ruts
But the Orange were not done yet. Like England, the Orange girls were also eager to score twelve goals against the poor Italians. Ruts crowned her strong performance in the third quarter with two goals. First she hit the short corner with her forehand, then she poked the 7-0 in through the legs of the goalie.
Not everything worked out in the sequel. Only the tenth (!) penalty corner was scored. That honor again went to Boere, who pushed the ball hard into the left corner: 8-0. If the Netherlands had had sharper sights, the score could easily have been even higher. And sometimes it just lacked a little luck.
Photo: WorldSportPics
For the double digits or an equaling of the twelve goals of England did not reach the Orange. It stuck to eight. Still a huge victory, but also one that will not make the Italians extremely unhappy. The team of coach Daan Sabel is now in a good position with four points, but the semifinals are not yet certain. England and Germany will play each other soon. Winning against England (Tuesday at 12:50 p.m.) is important, but the decision will only be made at the very end of the group stage.
Netherlands – Italy (8-0) (5-0)
3. Yara Akkerman 1-0
8. Olivia Huisman 2-0
18. Imme de Leeuw 3-0 (SC)
24. Yara Akkerman 4-0
29. Isabel Boere 5-0 (SB)
31. Lotte Ruts 6-0
42. Lotte Ruts 7-0
52. Isabel Boere 8-0 (SC)
by Hockey.nl
