![]() ![]() ![]() Head coach Alyson Annan, the legendary former Australia international, double Olympic gold medallist and two-time FIH Player of the Year, has created a team very much in her own image: a perfect balance of outrageous talent, discipline and an unbreakable winning mentality. They may not be the reigning Olympic champions, but the Netherlands women are without question the team to beat at Tokyo 2020. In the game against Zambia, the former scored four goals in sixty minutes while the latter provided three assists during her 70 minutes in the game.A true global hockey superpower is the subject of our latest Olympic spotlight, with the Netherlands men and women looking to add an Olympic gold medal to the European titles that they both claimed in June. The goal-scoring prowess of Vivianne Miedema and van de Donk's creativity in the final third will be Netherlands' weapons throughout the tournament. With their 2019 World Cup final opponents USA losing out to Sweden and the Dutch slotting hom 10 in their game, the Europeans have sent out a loud message - they mean business in Tokyo. Now they have begun the Olympic tournament in scintillating form, beating Zambia 10-3 in the opening fixture. Out of the six friendlies that the Netherlands team has played in 2021, they have won four and lost two. The Dutch team will be favourites to top the group and if the United States - who suffered a shock 3-0 opening-round loss to Sweden in Group G - recover their pre-tournament form, we could see a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on 6 August for the women’s gold medal contest. ![]() The grand stage of the Summer Olympics has the potential to be intimidating for the team but the lack of spectators could well turn out to be something that works in their favour. Women’s football at the Olympics has been a relatively recent addition to the Summer Games (introduced in 1996) and it has been dominated by the United States of America – the same team that trumped Netherlands in the final of the 2019 World Cup.Īlong with the USA, hosts Japan and historic powerhouses Brazil will be the teams to beat for Van de Donk & co if they are to strike gold in Tokyo. The vista of the Olympics and hope of gold A lot of players, part of the core that won Euro 2017, have played together for many years, allowing the team to have a nucleus that is connected not with their footballing brains but their hearts as well. In this Dutch team, bonds are forged and not forced. With experienced campaigners like goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal (PSV), defender Stefanie van der Gragt (Ajax) and Van de Donk (Lyon) marshalling the troops in midfield along with young stars like Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal), Jackie Groenen (Manchester United) and Lineth Beerensteyn (Bayern Munich), the Oranje Leeuwinnen squad is full of quality.Ī great indicator about any football team’s togetherness is their reaction when they celebrate a goal, irrespective of its importance. The Dutch women’s team is not short on quality players, by any standards, and beating them will be a tough task for any team at Tokyo 2020. ![]() It is going to be a bit different than normal of course due to Covid but we’re really looking forward to playing at the Olympics Panache, power and philosophy ![]()
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