FIFA Women's World Cup
Result: Netherlands 1-0 Sweden
Date: 03 July 2019
Venue: Groupama Stadium
The Netherlands set up a Women's World Cup final date with the USA after they overcame Sweden 1-0 at Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday. Stina Blackstenius was played into the box by Sofia Jakobsson and the former launched the ball towards goal but Sari van Veenendaal managed to parry it away and then dive on it. Despite boasting the attacking arsenal to seriously test the Swedish defence, the Dutch were a little bit too slow and hesitant in their build-up allowing the opposition to get behind the ball. Sweden, on the other hand, looked livelier in possession, especially down the right via Jakobsson who threatened with multiple passes and crosses in from wide. In the 37th minute, After a bit of a goal-mouth scramble, van Veenendaal managed a kick-save on a close-range effort from Lina Hurtig to keep her side level. Five minutes after the interval, Blackstenius held the ball up before turning and driving into the box. She opened up her body but Desiree van Lunteren recovered and blocked the shot. The Swedes came mighty close in the 57th minute. After the ball bounced around the Dutch penalty area, Nilla Fischer collected it in the box and unleashed a low strike that seemed destined for the bottom-left corner of goal, but it hit the post and van Lunteren cleared it away. This seemed to spark the Netherlands in to life, who almost took the lead in the 65th minute. Vivianne Miedema directed a looping header that had seemingly beaten the 'keeper to the top-right corner of goal, but Hedvig Lindahl managed to get a finger to it and pushed the ball onto the crossbar. Nine minutes in to extra time, the Netherlands finally took the lead when Jackie Groenen ran onto a loose ball just outside the box and struck a right-footed shot across the goalkeeper and into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal. This would prove to be the winning goal as the Dutch ran out worthy winners in the end. 
