Netherlands 'know everything' about Spain

The Netherlands "know everything" about their World Cup quarter-final opponents Spain, says manager Andries Jonker.

"I think they [Spain] won't surprise us," Jonker said before Friday's game in Wellington.

"We spoke with our players, and of course Damaris, who knows a lot about Spain. Our scouting team did its job."

Jonkers' side also includes players with experience of Spanish football - defender Merel van Dongen currently plays for Atletico Madrid, while Stefanie van der Gragt and Lieke Martens both enjoyed spells at Barcelona.

"We know everything about Spain. We have a small book about them," Jonker added.

"We hope it will be helpful, but then in the end, you don't win a game in the preparation. You have to win it on the pitch."

The Netherlands, runners-up to the USA in 2019, beat South Africa 2-0 to reach the last eight, while Jorge Vilda's Spain side thrashed Switzerland 5-1 in the last 16.

Vilda said his side were "united" despite a turbulent build-up to the tournament, which saw 15 players involved in a dispute with the boss.

Egurrola, a regular in Spain's youth teams before making her senior debut in 2019, said she had issues with Vilda after she made the switch to the Netherlands.

Asked about Egurrola, Vilda said: "We worry about our players and the players that we can include in the line-up and I would not change any of my 23 players for anyone else.

"We have a group that competes and they are all fighting for the same objective, and they're very motivated."

The winner will face either Japan or Sweden in the semi-finals in Auckland on Tuesday.

Key stats

• Spain have won their past three games in all competitions against Netherlands, scoring a total of five goals and conceding none in the process.
• Despite playing just 190 of the 360 minutes available so far at the World Cup, no player has scored more goals for Spain than Alba Redondo, who has three goals and one assist - meaning she is averaging a goal involvement once every 48 minutes.
• Jill Roord has scored four goals for the Netherlands at this World Cup, the most by a Dutch player in a single tournament.