Netherlands repels Kgatlana, South Africa to reach Women's World Cup quarterfinals

The Netherlands' revenge tour is still going after a 2-0 win vs. South Africa in the Round of 16 on Saturday.

After losing to the U.S. women's national team in the 2019 Women's World Cup Final, the Netherlands topped a Group E that featured the defending champions to set up a match against South Africa, who finished second in Group G.

Netherlands opened the game with a 3-1-4-2 shape with South Africa in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and it took just nine minutes for the Oranje to find the opener.

In the ninth minute, Jill Roord, as she has done so effectively throughout the tournament, was in the right place at the right time. She got on the end of a deflected shot from a corner kick to head home the opener.

But from there, South Africa was energized in finding an equalizer, mostly thanks to striker Thembi Kgatlana. The 27-year-old captain of the NWSL's Racing Louisville continuously gave the Dutch back-three shape fits in transition.

After all, it was South Africa's game plan to seize a win: sit deep, then ping long balls over the top for Kgatlana to hunt with her speed.

However, despite some scares and potential costly mistakes, the Oranje always found a way to shut the door. Most notably, goalie Daphne van Domselaar ended the game with seven saves. For comparison's sake, she made three in total during group play.

But the Netherlands, which controlled possession 70% of the time, eventually increased its lead in the 68th minute thanks to Lineth Beerensteyn.

In the 68th minute on a transition opportunity of their own, the Oranje found Beerensteyn with a long ball towards the left wing. The 26-year-old forward reached the ball first and shot it first time with her left foot outside the box, but the savable hit went right through Kaylin Swart's gloves and into the net.

Beerensteyn found the back of the net again in the 79th minute but was ruled offside by VAR.

In the end, South Africa totaled 13 shots with seven hitting the target, but van Domselaar saved every single one. On the other hand, the Netherlands managed 14 total shots with six on target. The game could've gone either way depending on how clinical each side was.

Despite the loss, South Africa made history by making its deepest run in the tournament. The nation debuted in the Women's World Cup in 2019 but lost all three group stage games.

The Netherlands will now move on to play Spain in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Aug. 10. Spain is coming off a 5-1 drubbing of Switzerland in its Round of 16 affair.