The subtext all week has been historical past, even earlier than america and the Netherlands arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, for his or her high-stakes matchup on the World Cup on Thursday afternoon (Wednesday at 9 p.m. Jap).
Day-after-day, there have been infinite questions on how the sport is a replay of the 2019 World Cup ultimate. Questions on reminiscences and rematches and revenge. And every single day, the gamers and their coaches from each groups have — patiently, politely, persistently — made clear that the previous doesn’t significantly matter to them.
“I believe that was 4 years in the past,” United States midfielder Rose Lavelle stated on Wednesday. “I believe each groups are fully completely different: completely different gamers, completely different coaches. So I believe it’s a enjoyable reminiscence, however we now have a brand new mind-set for this sport.”
The eagerness to set the historical past apart is probably extra comprehensible within the Netherlands camp. A number of of its key gamers have been on the sphere in Lyon, France, when the Netherlands misplaced to america within the 2019 ultimate, but additionally when the Individuals beat the Dutch in a pleasant in November 2020 and in a shootout within the Olympic event in Tokyo in 2021. They’re all, thanks very a lot, fairly conscious of the historical past that hangs over the rivalry. They’re all simply as able to look forward, as a substitute of again.
“It’s a giant sport — we’re wanting ahead to it,” Netherlands midfielder Jill Roord stated after beating Portugal on Sunday. “However it’s only a sport. And it’s the group stage, so it doesn’t actually matter what the large sport is. You simply wish to win.”
Her teammate Jackie Groenen supplied an identical shrug on Wednesday. “For me it’s only a match,” she stated. “It’s price three factors, and we wish to win it.”
That underplays the stakes fairly a bit. Ever because the groups have been drawn into the identical group, they’ve understood the significance of successful this matchup, and with it most likely first place in Group E. Each groups know that the first-place workforce within the group has a far simpler path within the spherical of 16 (Italy or Argentina probably) than the runner-up, which is prone to face Sweden, a real World Cup title contender, within the knockout spherical.
Each america and the Netherlands additionally agree that Thursday’s sport will probably be completely different. The Individuals will run out a couple of new faces of their lineup, an injection of talent and expertise that provides promise however treasured little big-game expertise on the World Cup. Lavelle, although, may be positioned to assist: She may rejoin the beginning lineup for the primary time after a number of injury-plagued months. (UPDATE: Nope. The U.S. lineup is unchanged from the Vietnam sport.)
However the Netherlands affords a brand new look as nicely: extra seasoned and extra organized, extra disciplined and, perhaps, just a bit extra expert in sure locations.
Perhaps that will probably be sufficient. Perhaps the teachings of the previous, dismissed as speaking factors all week, have been absorbed. Perhaps, simply perhaps, the Netherlands can produce a special outcome. The Individuals, assured as ever, completely consider that’s potential. Extra vital, so do the Dutch.
“We’re not afraid of America,” Netherlands Coach Andries Jonker stated on Sunday. “We respect them. However we now have no worry.”