Six months before Euro 2017 the hosts were in disarray but their coach galvanised the players into a team who dominated the tournamentThe jubilant faces of the newly crowned European champions were splashed across the front of almost every major Dutch newspaper – regional and national – on Monday. “Undefeated champions,” De Volkskrant proudly boasted. “FENOMENAAL” was Algemeen Dagblad’s summary.It has been a remarkable rise for the women in orange, who made their first appearance at a World Cup finals only in 2015 but have now reached the continental summit, putting an end to Germany’s 22-year-monopoly of the European crown. Related: Holland edge past Denmark in thriller to secure Euro 2017 title Continue reading...
Semi-final defeat by Holland has raised questions about manager’s approach and the old failing of ball retention proved key once moreOn the stroke of 8am, a uniformed attendant parked his van alongside the FanZone and surveyed a grisly scene. After pausing momentarily, he began painstakingly clearing the mini-mountain of litter scarring a usually serene patch of grass, bisecting a pleasant square.Bit by bit the polystyrene cartons, beer cans, cigarette ends and empty pizza boxes scarring this corner of downtown Enschede disappeared. Around 90 miles to the west, another type of Friday morning cleanup was similarly underway at England’s Utrecht base. As Holland fans partied late in the FanZone following the Oranje’s 3-0 semi-final deconstruction of Mark Sampson’s side here on...
England striker went into the Euro 2017 semi-final with five goals but was unable to match Holland’s Vivianne Miedema and Danielle van de DonkIf Holland proceed to win their home tournament on Sunday, a feat that now seems distinctly likely, then at least four Arsenal players will begin the Women’s Super League season with a spring in their step. This was a deserved, desolating defeat for England and, just as much, an exuberant, convincing victory for the Dutch; it will be little consolation it also served notice of the depth of talent available in the WSL.The buildup had focused on the five‑goal haul of the England centre‑forward Jodie Taylor; of far more relevance afterwards were the contributions of Vivianne Miedema...
The Lionesses have not beaten France since 1974 but their bullish coach is confident of quarter-final victory on SundayA late Gothic weigh-house sits in the middle of Deventer’s handsome main square. Alongside it hangs a copper cauldron once used to perform gruesome executions involving miscreants being submerged in boiling water.Happily behavioural norms in this charming former Hanseatic trading town on the river Ijssel in the Netherlands are much modified these days. Even so, should the simmering verbal contretemps between Mark Sampson and Olivier Echouafni spill over into the technical area on Sunday night, there would surely be few objections to a vat of iced water being chucked over the pair. Related: Euro 2017: Hosts Holland see off Sweden as Germany...