The U.S. has its best shot to advance to the quarterfinals in a long time.
If you stripped away all context from the United States Men’s National Team’s matchup with the Netherlands in the Round of 16, you’d wonder how the USMNT could possibly survive the “Oranje.” Take a closer look and, whoa, wait — you realize the current Dutch squad is actually a shell of the team featuring Arjen Robben, Wesley Schneider, and Robin Van Persie that lost in the 2010 World Cup Final.
(Robin Williams in Jumanji voice): What year is it???
At this incredibly late realization, I tell you the USMNT should not be intimidated by the modern iteration of the famed Scandivanian Orange in the least. If anything, this is one of the more favorable matchups on paper for an American squad that seems primed to finally make a deep World Cup run.
It’s easy to say that Memphis Depay and Co. should have the edge over USMNT. After all, they had relatively little trouble running rampant through Group A of this World Cup. The Dutch recorded two clean sheets, conceded just one goal and otherwise mostly did what they pleased to their group. At the moment, the young Cody Gakpo (three goals) could be in line for the Golden Boot, and the Dutch play a quality, balanced attacking style out of a solid 3-4-1-2 formation. Given their established reputation of past success, they might be a legit dark horse for a solid run through the knockout stages.
On the other hand, we saw cracks in the Dutch armor against Ecuador. The speed of the Ecuadorian team, led by Enner Valencia, saw it pepper the fateful Orange with 15 shots (four on goal), while the Netherlands barely sustained any offense (two shots; one on goal) in a 1-1 draw. On a better day for Ecuador, they rout the Netherlands, upsetting a traditional European power.
On paper, the USMNT have more firepower and better defensive integrity to make the Dutch regret avoidable mistakes. Thanks to the efforts of lightning-quick talismans like Tyler Adams, the U.S. conceded just one goal in the group stage, even nullifying the offense of a World Cup favorite in England. (Not to mention that a healthy Christian Pulisic might be the best player on the field and can influence the action the most as a true No. 10.) Aside from a glaring gap of a truly great striker — the reason the USMNT offense can often be underwhelming in the final third — there’s enough American speed here to push most comers, especially if those opponents don’t bring their A-game.
Plus, seriously, look at this underlying statistical performance from Adams against England — who is, once again, a huge World Cup favorite and a true soccer titan. It’s absurd:
Tyler Adams has all of the dog in him.
(Stats from @Squawka)
100% final third pass accuracy
87% pass accuracy
60 touches
46 passes
8 times possession won
4 duels won
2 fouls won
2 clearances
1 interception
0 times dribbled pastBeast.
pic.twitter.com/7WW2gcsH83
— CBS Sports Golazo
(@CBSSportsGolazo) November 25, 2022
I’m not sure if this iteration of the Dutch even if have an A-game! That is unless Robben is coming out of retirement at 38 years old. (I wouldn’t advise that.)
Nonetheless, I understand the aversion to favoring the USMNT on a platform they’ve failed to advance past since 2002. Younger squads like this must prove they belong before you start betting on their success. But the Dutch — currently No. 8 in FIFA’s official World Rankings — have the pungent scent of “overrated”. The expectation from the international community will be that they dispatch the pesky, upstart Americans. But I wouldn’t overlook the USMNT here. I see a straight-line path to the quarterfinals for an “underdog” already punching above its weight class on the world stage.
I believe that they will … put up a great fight.
