Orange women lose to Germany, but test with new system pleases

The Netherlands lost a practice match in Sittard with Germany, the number two in the world, 1-0, but did put up some neat soccer. It was a match between the vice world champion (the Netherlands lost the 2019 World Cup final to the United States) and the vice European champion (Germany lost last year’s European Cup final to England).

The game was in preparation for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which will be held next summer in July and August.

What was striking beforehand was that national coach Andries Jonker did not want to reveal his tactical lineup even just before the match, only the eleven names of the basic players. He did not want to fool Germany unnecessarily. That is quite unusual, especially in a practice match.

Jonker wanted to try out a new system with five (or three, depends how you explain it) defenders. “The question was: can this be done against a top country? The girls gave the answer: yes, it can.”

Watch the reactions of national coach Andries Jonker, Lineth Beerensteyn and Stefanie van der Gragt below

Not much happened in the opening stages, unless it was a wild distance shot by Lieke Martens that went well over. In the 26th minute, the first goal attempt came between the posts: Germany’s Sydney Lohmann shot from distance, but her effort was no problem for Daphne van Domselaar.

Just within the half hour, the game had two chances out of nowhere. First, Lineth Beerensteyn was sent deep, but she shot at goalkeeper Merle Frohms. From the counterattack, Germany had a dangerous header chance, but it went over.

Beerensteyn then had the second great chance for the Netherlands, Frohms saved again.

In the ensuing corner Danielle van den Donk headed just wide. She took the ball away from Stefanie Van der Gragt, who would have loved to have headed in her 100th international.

In the second half, the Netherlands should have taken the lead within 30 seconds. Beerensteyn missed another one-on-one, then the ball got to Van den Donk via Frohms. She lobbed from afar and via the fingertips of the strong keeper Frohms, the ball went against the inside of the post, but not into the goal.

Beerensteyn had another chance a few minutes later to run alone toward Frohms’ goal. She overlooked free teammates and did not get the ball right, allowing a defender to overtake her and block the attempt.

Against the odds, the Germans got ahead in the 52nd minute. Lohmann headed in a corner. She should have been covered by Beerensteyn, who was playing an increasingly unhappy game.

Moments later, there was a notable standoff between Jonker and Beerensteyn, in which the national coach seemed to encourage his player.

Klara Bühl had the next chance of the match, but she bumped into Van Domselaar twice. Five minutes before time the Netherlands had another great chance, through Damaris Egurrola, Frohms saved with her foot. On the counterattack, Laura Freigang had a shooting chance from the 16-meter line, her effort went back into the field via the post.

Despite many chances back and forth and a final offensive by the Netherlands, it remained 0-1 for Germany in Sittard.