Ruthlessly efficient from the Netherlands as it marched on into the last eight after beating USA 3-1 in the round of 16.
The Netherlands will face Argentina or Australia in quarterfinals.
The final score is no reflection of how good the US was in this game. It is, however, a reflection of the superior professional edge the Dutch has. The US made four mistakes in this game and the Netherlands scored three goals.
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 put up a strong fight, but they lacked a cutting edge, and they were punished once more in a similar way with the last kick of the first half, when Daley Blind came on at the ideal moment to finish off 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.
Five minutes later, however, they regained a two-goal advantage when Dumfries, the game’s creator, converted a volley from Blind’s cross by sidefooting it in at the far post.
