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The Netherlands survived a late scare against the United States to move into the World Cup quarter-finals with a ruthless display of finishing.
The US had the game's biggest early chance when Christian Pulisic was denied by the legs of Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert and the failure to take that opportunity proved highly expensive.
Louis van Gaal's side responded in the finest Dutch traditions in the 10th minute when Memphis Depay crowned a magnificent 21-pass move by turning in Denzel Dumfries' cross.
The US battled hard but lacked a cutting edge and were punished once more in similar fashion with the final kick of the first half when Daley Blind arrived with perfect timing on the end of another Dumfries cut back.
The Dutch were given anxious moments when the US pulled a goal back in the 76th minute as Haji Wright's freak deflection from Pulisic's cross looped in at the far post.
But they restored their two-goal lead five minutes later when creator Dumfries turned scorer, side-footing in a volley at the far post from Blind's cross.
Van Gaal's Dutch march on
Van Gaal has been over this course before with the Netherlands, when he guided them to a World Cup semi-final in Brazil in 2014, only to lose on penalties to Argentina after a goalless draw in Sao Paulo.
And his vast experience means they cannot be under-estimated here as they set up a last eight meeting with either their 2014 conquerors Argentina or Australia, who meet at 19:00 GMT on Saturday.
No-one would pretend this is a classic Dutch side but they have a sprinkling of quality in all areas and the beauty of their first goal, which would have delighted the purists in their homeland, was a graphic demonstration of their capabilities.
Virgil van Dijk is the world-class defensive leader alongside Nathan Ake, while both full-backs Blind and Dumfries made crucial contributions.
Frenkie de Jong brings control to midfield and there is real threat in the shape of Depay, who scored his first goal of this World Cup, and one of the break-out stars of this World Cup, Cody Gakpo.
It was a display that delighted the band of Dutch fans inside Khalifa International Stadium as Van Gaal's side march on.
Pulisic miss proves costly
The USA have failed to win all 24 World Cup matches in which they conceded the first goal of the game, losing 19 times in the processThe States' main man Christian Pulisic looked close to tears after the final whistle as he reflected on the chance that got away in those opening moments, an opportunity that might have made this a very different tie.
Pulisic was sent through on goal by Tyler Adams' clever delivery but the outstretched leg of Dutch keeper Noppert made the block. Pulisic should have scored and he knew it.
The US were soon in arrears and could never get close enough to the Netherlands, apart from Wright's goal, which was heavily laced with good fortune.
The left side of their defence was brutally exposed by the Dutch for all three goals and this, mixed with poor finishing, meant their World Cup ends in the first knockout round.
There is something to build on after getting out of the group stages but there will also be disappointed at the sense of missed opportunity as they make their departure from Qatar and start their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which they will be co-hosting.
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Netherlands
Squad number23Player nameNoppert
Squad number2Player nameTimber
Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
Squad number5Player nameAké
Squad number22Player nameDumfries
Squad number15Player namede Roon
Squad number21Player namede Jong
Squad number17Player nameBlind
Squad number14Player nameKlaassen
Squad number8Player nameGakpo
Squad number10Player nameDepay
Squad number3Player namede Ligt
Squad number7Player nameBergwijn
Squad number19Player nameWeghorst
Squad number20Player nameKoopmeiners
Squad number25Player nameSimons
USA
Squad number1Player nameTurner
Squad number2Player nameDest
Squad number3Player nameZimmerman
Squad number13Player nameReam
Squad number5Player nameRobinson
Squad number6Player nameMusah
Squad number4Player nameAdams
Squad number8Player nameMcKennie
Squad number21Player nameWeah
Squad number9Player nameFerreira
Squad number10Player namePulisic
Squad number7Player nameReyna
Squad number11Player nameAaronson
Squad number16Player nameMorris
Squad number19Player nameWright
Squad number22Player nameYedlin
Line-ups
Netherlands
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 23Noppert
- 2Timber
- 4van Dijk
- 5AkéSubstituted forde Ligtat 90+4'minutes
- 22Dumfries
- 15de RoonSubstituted forBergwijnat 45'minutes
- 21de JongBooked at 87mins
- 17Blind
- 14KlaassenSubstituted forKoopmeinersat 45'minutesBooked at 60mins
- 8GakpoSubstituted forWeghorstat 90+4'minutes
- 10DepaySubstituted forSimonsat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Pasveer
- 3de Ligt
- 6de Vrij
- 7Bergwijn
- 9de Jong
- 11Berghuis
- 12Lang
- 13Bijlow
- 16Malacia
- 18Janssen
- 19Weghorst
- 20Koopmeiners
- 24Taylor
- 25Simons
- 26Frimpong
USA
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Turner
- 2DestSubstituted forYedlinat 75'minutes
- 3Zimmerman
- 13Ream
- 5RobinsonSubstituted forMorrisat 90+2'minutes
- 6Musah
- 4Adams
- 8McKennieSubstituted forWrightat 67'minutes
- 21WeahSubstituted forAaronsonat 67'minutes
- 9FerreiraSubstituted forReynaat 45'minutes
- 10Pulisic
Substitutes
- 7Reyna
- 11Aaronson
- 12Horvath
- 14de la Torre
- 15Long
- 16Morris
- 17Roldán
- 18Moore
- 19Wright
- 20Carter-Vickers
- 22Yedlin
- 23Acosta
- 25Johnson
- 26Scally
Referee:Wilton Pereira Sampaio
Attendance:44,846
Live Text
Match ends, Netherlands 3, USA 1.
Second Half ends, Netherlands 3, USA 1.
Hand ball by Brenden Aaronson (USA).
Attempt blocked. Yunus Musah (USA) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Giovanni Reyna with a headed pass.
Substitution, Netherlands. Wout Weghorst replaces Cody Gakpo.
Substitution, Netherlands. Matthijs de Ligt replaces Nathan Aké.
Substitution, USA. Jordan Morris replaces Antonee Robinson.
Foul by DeAndre Yedlin (USA).
Nathan Aké (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Giovanni Reyna (USA) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Brenden Aaronson.
Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Brenden Aaronson (USA) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands).
Attempt missed. Walker Zimmerman (USA) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, USA. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
Foul by DeAndre Yedlin (USA).
Xavi Simons (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Giovanni Reyna (USA) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Cody Gakpo (Netherlands).
Substitution, Netherlands. Xavi Simons replaces Memphis Depay.
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