Esmee Brugts scored two stunning long-range goals as the Netherlands rediscovered their scoring touch in a crushing win over Vietnam on Tuesday, reaching the Women’s World Cup knockout stage in style and sealing top spot in Group E.
The Dutch had scored only once in each of their two previous games but, knowing goal difference could decide the group winners, were 4-0 up inside 25 minutes, with Brugts’s curled effort the pick of the bunch.
Her second goal in the 57th minute was a carbon copy of the first and put the Netherlands 6-0 ahead before Jill Roord also struck her second of the night to wrap up the emphatic win, the biggest of the tournament so far.
The Netherlands were expected to finish behind the USA in Group E but the defending champions were held to a goalless draw by Portugal in Auckland and ended in second place.
The 2019 runners-up will travel to Sydney for their last-16 tie on Sunday and are likely to face Italy, who sit in second place behind Sweden in Group G.
Lieke Martens, Katja Snoeijs, Roord and Danielle van de Donk also scored in the first half and the Netherlands had a staggering 42 attempts at goal overall, including 17 on target. By contrast, Vietnam managed five shots but none on target.
Dominique Janssen launched a wonderful ball from defence into Vietnam’s penalty area, where Martens lobbed the goalkeeper, Tran Thi Kim Thanh, to put the Netherlands ahead after eight minutes for her 60th international goal.
Snoeijs slotted in the second three minutes later after being set up by Van de Donk, and Brugts soon added another from distance, her strike from outside the penalty area nestling into the top right corner.
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Roord, who had twice fired wide, finally got on the scoresheet after volleying in Janssen’s cross. Roord drew a fantastic save from Kim Thanh just before half-time, but Van de Donk was on hand to tap in the rebound.
After Brugts’s superb sixth with another fierce strike, Martens was ruled offside but Roord, who had hit the crossbar, headed in the seventh with seven minutes remaining
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