Wales Girls 0 – 3 Netherlands Girls

Vivianne Miedema scored her a centesimal worldwide purpose as Wales’ main event debut ended with a 3-0 defeat in opposition to the Netherlands in Lucerne.

The Manchester Metropolis ahead curled dwelling from the sting of the world on the point of half-time to start the scoring in opposition to Wales, who’re the bottom ranked staff within the event.

Victoria Pelova and Esmee Brugts netted after the break, turning the consequence into a press release win in Group D, which additionally contains France and England.

Wales will really feel the sport merely simply acquired away from them after their admirable efforts within the first interval pissed off the 2017 European champions.

Though Olivia Clark was known as into an early cease to maintain out Miedema, Wales stored the Netherlands at bay for giant durations, making an attempt to muster openings of their very own with the likes of Ceri Holland and Hannah Cain combining early on.

Nevertheless, warning indicators of the Dutch high quality emerged when Jill Roord let fly from distance, rattling the publish with a volleyed effort. The audacity of her strike paved the best way for Miedema to place her nation within the driving seat, turning into the primary Dutch participant in each girls’s and males’s historical past to make it to a century of targets for Oranje.

It was the worst attainable time for Wales to concede, as maybe nonetheless rattled by the opener, they casually allowed Pelova to make it two when Danielle van de Donk ran onto a protracted ball excessive, earlier than teeing up the Arsenal midfielder who had on a regular basis on the earth to select her spot previous Clark within the space.

The Dutch added a 3rd when former Manchester United midfielder Jackie Groenen’s effort from the sting of the field rebounded off the bar. The Dutch stored it alive, with Pelova turning supplier this time, choosing out a excessive and vast Brugts to information dwelling on the again publish.

If not for an offside flag, three may have simply turn out to be 4 when a freshly launched Lineth Beerensteyn, who changed Miedema, had the ball behind the web.

Beerensteyn’s influence got here as a part of a dominant finish to the sport for the Dutch, who offered a baptism of fireplace for the Dragons, who gear as much as flip issues round in opposition to France on Wednesday. The Netherlands will tackle their former boss, Sarina Wiegman and her defending champions, England, subsequent.

Wilkinson: Intimidating stage however we are going to take the teachings

Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson:

“We’ve got a tough group, there is not any query about that. What we have talked about as a gaggle is how we present up on this journey, and ensure we’re pleased with the hassle we’re placing in, in what we are attempting to attain, and I believe we are going to catch folks off-guard. So, you see moments within the sport the place we do play. It was a troublesome sport; to concede earlier than half-time is tough.

“I made some modifications at half-time and I believe that price us a second purpose, so that may be a technical studying for us. This was a unbelievable efficiency from the Dutch; we rode the road and rode our luck.

“We simply need to make extra alternatives and ensure these lapses turn out to be fewer and fewer. However that is the world stage, it is a massive occasion and it is intimidating. Equally, that is what we would like and it comes with classes like this.”

Wales crushed… however not down

Sky Sports activities Information’ Geraint Hughes at Allmend Stadion Luzern:

“Not sudden. The primary purpose was world-class from Miedema. That clearly, earlier than half-time, will not be an excellent time to concede. Rhian Wilkinson has held her fingers up, at half-time they tried to get throughout some tactical modifications, and so they really feel they rushed them.

“And a kind of key modifications that they did not get throughout to the gamers rapidly was precisely how the second purpose was conceded. As soon as that purpose went in, it was just about sport over. Any form of nerves that that they had have been put to the facet, and so they began to purr just like the facet that they’re.

“What Wales did not do is that they did not fold, or lie over. They fought, that is what Wales are going to need to do. There’s actuality from the Wales camp that it is a studying journey.

“This isn’t a terrific shock that they’ve been crushed and crushed comfortably by the Netherlands. They made errors that they are going to hope to rectify once they play France on Wednesday.”