The Netherlands still has a small chance on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals of the European Women’s Football Championship in Switzerland. Oranje must stun against France or hope for a misstep by England against Wales.
9:00 PM: Netherlands-France (Basel)
If England wins against Wales, Oranje must win against France by at least three goals to reach the quarter-finals. That will be a tough task, because Oranje doesn’t win against the French very often anyway. In the last four mutual duels, a victory remained out of reach for the Netherlands (two draws, two defeats).
Outgoing national coach Andries Jonker said on Saturday that he still believes in the “Miracle of Basel”. The last time Oranje stranded in the group stage at the European Championship was in 2013. Four years later, Oranje became European champion in their own country. At the last edition in 2022, the Netherlands lost to France in the quarter-finals (1-0).
Player to watch out for: France has many players who can cause problems for Oranje, including Clara Mateo (27). The attacker from Paris FC was important in the previous European Championship match against Wales (4-1) with the opening goal and an assist.
9:00 PM: England-Wales (St. Gallen)
After the strong performance against Oranje (4-0 victory), England has a clear view of the next round again. Coach Sarina Wiegman’s team can only miss a quarter-final spot in the event of a misstep against Wales. But given the balance of power, a draw or defeat for England does not seem likely.
Wales hopes to end the tournament well against neighboring country England. The rivalry between the two countries may push the European Championship debutant to greater heights. “The Netherlands should know that we will do our utmost on Sunday. Promised,” said star player Jess Fishlock after the defeat against France.
Player to watch out for: Lauren James (23) made a name for herself against the Netherlands. The attacker blasted England to the lead and later also made it 3-0. She became national champion with Chelsea last season.