In a tough battle with Australia, the Dutch junior team began the 21st World Cup in Chile with a 2-2 draw. The Netherlands dominated most of the match, but fell behind twice. Trijntje Beljaars scored 2-2 a few minutes from time.
It was very hot, there was wind, but Holland started at a very low pace. Australia, one of the top nations at this World Championship, immediately rose to the top. The Dutch national team had to get used to that. “Intensity,” shouted Patriots coach Dave Smolinarz from the dugout, just a few minutes into the hockey game.
The Dutch junior team seemed to grow in the match. Shots by Lottie Petsma and Emma Reinen provided the first chances of the match. But everything changed when Australia were awarded the first penalty kick of the match twelve minutes later. Tathorne Stewart immediately pushed the ball high past senior goalkeeper Sophie ter Kuile. Australia led 0-1. The players of the Dutch junior team who were on the field at that moment immediately gathered their heads.
Australia took a 0-1 lead from a corner kick. Photo: WorldSportPics/Frank Uelenbrock
Alicia Norbiato has been replaced by Noah Mueller
This was not the first setback for the Dutch national team during the past 24 hours, after its convincing 10-0 victory on Monday in the training match against New Zealand. On Tuesday afternoon, the coaching staff made an important decision. Alicia Norbiato has been sick for a few days. She missed the final moments of training and was therefore not deemed fit to start the World Cup. Norbiato was replaced by reserve Noah Muller and is now a reserve himself. This frustrated Norbiato, who was given the green light after suffering a knee injury a week before leaving for Chile. She can only take action if one of her teammates is injured.
After an early 0-1 defeat, the Dutch junior team put their shoulders to the wheel. The Netherlands dominated the second quarter. Mickey Roberts pushed a penalty corner kick onto the feet of goalkeeper Jordan Bliss. Mette Winter and Trijntje Beljaars also faced the Australian goalkeeper. This really strong stage was supposed to lead to an equalizer, but that did not happen. As a result, the Netherlands went to the locker room with a 0-1 lead.
The Little Dutch remained patient in the third quarter. Holland quickly struck the position. When the Dutch storm calmed down, the current world champion was able to score the equalizer. With a pass from Mette Winter, José Moyes scored the equalizer of the round: 1-1.
José Moyes has put the Netherlands on the same level. Photo: WorldSportPics/Frank Uelenbrock
Trijntje Beljaars makes it 2-2
The Netherlands opened the hunt for a 2-1 lead in the final quarter, but they also had to be careful not to concede any goal. Australia won a corner for the second time in this match. Stewart, the maker of the 0-1 score, pushed straight at Ter Kuyle. But Madison Brooks scored on the rebound. Six minutes before the end of the match, the Netherlands found themselves behind again.
Then the Dutch rookies showed resilience. Three minutes before the end, Trigente Belgarès scored to make it 2-2 from a corner kick. Thus, the match ended in a draw. The Dutch junior team will undoubtedly have mixed feelings about the match: the team will be happy with the 2-2 scoreline, but also unhappy with not converting control into a win. The Netherlands will play the second match in the group on Thursday against South Africa (10:30 p.m. Dutch time).
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