World Cup: Netherlands 'improving every game' after seeing off USA, says Gakpo
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Louis van Gaal’s men will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the quarter-finals on Friday as they continue their bid for a maiden World Cup title.
PHOTO: AFP
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DOHA – The Netherlands are growing in confidence at the World Cup and getting better with every game, star forward Cody Gakpo said on Saturday, after they put some underwhelming group-stage performances behind them to beat the United States and ease into the quarter-finals.
The Dutch secured a last-eight spot with a 3-1 victory that was set up by a wonderful opening goal, finished by Memphis Depay after a 20-pass move which midfielder Davy Klaassen called “the perfect goal, I think”.
Daley Blind made it 2-0 before half-time and, although the Americans pulled one back through substitute striker Haji Wright in the 76th minute, Denzel Dumfries sealed victory five minutes later.
“We’re growing in the tournament, we’re improving every game and this was another step,” said Gakpo, who plays for PSV Eindhoven and has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League after the tournament.
“We have a great team spirit, we really fought for each other today, together. The spirit is really good.
“We came here with one goal and that’s to become world champions and we have to win every game and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Before facing the US, they had come in for criticism for their group-stage displays draw with Ecuador laboured 2-0 win over hosts Qatar.
“In the first few games, they (critics) were right, we didn’t play our best football,” Manchester City defender Nathan Ake told reporters. “But we got the points and we qualified first.
“But we knew we had to play better and today we showed much more what we can do in different phases.
“In some situations we had to defend a little bit more but we know that we’re very dangerous on the counter-attack. We haven’t shown that too much in the first few games but today we showed that.”
Louis van Gaal’s men will face Lionel Messi’s Argentina, who saw off Australia 2-1 on Saturday, in the quarter-finals
“That’s what you play for all the time, to play in a World Cup and in the end to win the World Cup,” said Klaassen. “We’re getting closer and closer.”
The Dutch, who failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament, have never lifted the trophy despite reaching the final three times – most recently when they lost 1-0 to Spain in 2010.
But the team are hoping to fly under the radar in Qatar. “A few top countries are no longer here and we have three more games to go,” coach van Gaal said. “I’ve been saying this for a year: we can become world champions – not that we will – but we can.”
On the 71-year-old, who has 14 wins from his 19 matches in his third stint as Oranje coach, captain Virgil van Dijk said: “We’re unbeaten with him so definitely big credit to him. He’s been very good for Dutch football.”
The Netherlands have conceded only two goals in the tournament so far but could be facing Messi and a star-studded Argentina side for a semi-final spot.
It would be a rematch of the last-four clash between the two in 2014, which the Argentinians won on penalties following a goal-less draw.
Despite the defeat, US coach Gregg Berhalter believes his side are not far off competing with the world’s best.
He said: “When you look at the difference of the two teams, there’s some quality offensive finishing that Holland had that we’re lacking. But we’ve made progress. When you look at our team, there’s a very clear identity of what we’re trying to do... We have a very young group, we have players that are beginning in their careers and they’re going to catch up to that... That stuff will come.”
AFP, REUTERS
