The Netherlands will take on the USA in the first Round of 16 games of the World Cup. With seven points earned via victories over Senegal and Qatar on either side of a tie with Ecuador, Louis van Gaal’s Oranje took first place in Group A. After consecutive draws against Wales and England, the US maintained their composure against Iran in a tight burst of extra time to secure a narrow 1-0 triumph, securing their first victory of the competition.
Netherlands team news
Memphis Depay played against the host nation on Tuesday and was able to start for the first time in Qatar. The Barcelona attacker played for 66 minutes until Van Gaal decided to rest him. This was in line with how long it would take for a player to recover from a serious hamstring injury.
USA team news
Christian Pulisic hurt himself while scoring the winning goal for the United States against Iran. From his hospital bed, the Chelsea forward assuaged worries by posting an update following the game with the message, “I’ll be ready Saturday, don’t worry.” With ankle and quad injuries, respectively, Josh Sargent and Weston McKennie had to leave the game against Iran. Although it’s unclear whether any of them were involved, Sargent’s issue is regarded to be more serious.
Netherlands vs USA World Cup score prediction
For Van Gaal’s team, the opening round was a test of doing just enough to advance from one of Qatar’s poorest groups. The United States theoretically beat the tournament’s hardest group—the only one with all four opponents in the top 20—but it took a lot of work.
Depay’s return to fitness should help the Netherlands’ stumbling frontline, which has relied on Cody Gakpo’s ability to score three goals on four shots. The US doesn’t have a returning player who might give their encouraging buildup play, which so frequently fizzles out, a sharp edge. If anything, Pulisic’s fitness worries pose a threat to further weaken America’s offense. Factually speaking, Berhalter is right when he says: “From here, anything can happen.” However, in a match between two sides acting naturally, the Dutch ought to have enough to triumph against his side.
Prediction: Netherlands 1-0 USA
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