That's all from Al Rayyan today, so thank you for joining us and goodbye!
While a young USA squad now reflect on their Qatari campaign and cast their thoughts forward to co-hosting the finals in 2026, the Dutch side march on. Today's winners will meet either Argentina or Australia in a quarter-final clash next week.
An impressively clinical performance from the Netherlands sees them through to the last eight of Qatar 2022, as they swat aside the challenge of a high-energy USA team. Soaking up some pressure at times, the Oranje used all of their experience - and that of their celebrated coach - to take advantage of the States' naivety and score three times, with the irrepressible Dumfries involved on each occasion. The first was a fluid footballing moment reminiscent of their famed Total Football, and though they were briefly tested by conceding a second-half goal, Van Gaal's men deservedly take their place in the quarter-finals.
90' + 7' FULL-TIME: NETHERLANDS 3-1 UNITED STATES
90' + 6' A Dutch counter-attack runs out of steam when Simons checks back inside and Koopmeiners mishits a pass to Bergwijn on the left side of the area.
M. de Ligt
N. Aké
90' + 3' After a seamless performance, Ake makes way for De Ligt in the Dutch defence.
W. Weghorst
C. Gakpo
90' + 3' Van Gaal also offers Weghorst a brief cameo, as Gakpo takes his leave.
J. Morris
A. Robinson
90' + 2' As time ticks away, Berhalter resorts to replacing full-back Robinson with another striker, Morris.
90' + 1' In the first of at least six stoppage-time minutes, Ake rises to clear away a crossfield ball towards Yedlin on the right side of the area. Both the Manchester City man and Van Dijk have mopped up almost every aerial challenge today.
89' Amid a packed penalty area, Aaronson manages to wriggle free and tee up Reyna, but the latter sees his low shot almost immediately charged down by an orange shirt.
F. de Jong
Yellow Card
87' A clear and deliberate trip on Aaronson in midfield earns De Jong a merited booking.
85' Contriving an overhead kick just inside the Dutch box, Zimmerman sends the ball wide of the left-hand post. It's a touch desperate now from the USA.
X. Simons
M. Depay
83' Having only recently returned to fitness, Depay cannot last the pace; young Simons comes on to make his debut.
D. Blind
Assist
81' Taking a touch and looking up to pick out his pass from the left side of the area, Blind repays the favour to Dumfries - who set up his first-half strike - by laying on the Netherlands' third goal.
D. Dumfries
Goal
81' DUMFRIES DOES IT AGAIN! Surely putting his nation into the World Cup quarter-finals, Dumfries adds to his pair of assists by steering the Netherlands 3-1 up! Meeting Blind's precise cross from the left with a controlled volley on the opposite side of the box, the wing-back finds the bottom-left corner of Turner's goal!
78' Pulisic cuts inside and unleashes a low strike, but Noppert is able to make a comfortable save.
77' MISS! Just after Wright is denied by Noppert's charge and sliding clearance on the edge of the Dutch area, Depay is slipped through on goal at the other end. However, Turner closes down the angle and the striker skews his shot wide of the left-hand post!
C. Pulišić
Assist
76' Pulisic is rewarded for his endeavour with an assist for clipping the ball back for Wright to score a fortuitous goal.
H. Wright
Goal
76' USA BACK IN IT! A first-time throughball by Yedlin - just on as a substitute - plays in Pulisic on the right, and his cutback from the byline loops up off Wright and spins over Noppert into the back of the net! Netherlands 2-1 USA, and there's all to play for now!
D. Yedlin
S. Dest
75' Dutch-born Dest has been unable to make much impact today, so Yedlin comes on for the latter stages.
75' OFF THE LINE! Wright is gifted a great chance to pull a goal back, but takes a heavy touch inside the box before seeing his low shot from a tight angle blocked away by that man Dumfries!
74' Cutting in from the right at top speed, Reyna is off balance and under pressure from the Dutch defence as he fires a wild shot far wide of the left-hand post.
72' DOUBLE SAVE! The United States hang on by their fingertips, as Turner keeps their slim hopes alive! Following a save to his right from Koopmeiners' well-struck drive, he gets up quickly to repel Depay's diving header from close range! Brilliant goalkeeping!
70' Dumfries outsmarts Robinson once again, out on the right flank, earning his team a corner and eating up more valuable seconds. Then, from the corner, Van Dijk plants a firm header well wide of the target.
68' Robinson is back on his feet as the action resumes. Midway through the second half, time is starting to run out for the USA.
H. Wright
W. McKennie
67' An attacking move by Berhalter sees McKennie replaced by a forward, Wright.
B. Aaronson
T. Weah
67' After drifting out of the game somewhat, Weah will be replaced; Aaronson comes on.
65' After a high-speed collision with Dumfries near the touchline, Robinson remains prone on the turf and will require some medical attention. The game comes to a halt.
63' With Dumfries left crumpled in a heap deep inside the United States' half, the game goes on, as Depay seeks a way to penetrate a stretched American defence. After a while, the wing-back is able to return to his feet and resume his role on the right flank.
61' SAVE! At full stretch, Turner tips over a deflected drive by Depay, which seemed to be heading towards the crossbar. That's a corner for the Netherlands.
T. Koopmeiners
Yellow Card
60' For bringing down Pulisic with an ill-timed challenge, Koopmeiners picks up a yellow card.
59' Pulisic's clipped 30-yard free-kick is headed away from near the penalty spot by Van Dijk, who has cleaned up all before him so far today.
56' Reyna had been on the field for only seven minutes during these finals before his introduction at the break, but has already offered more attacking threat than most of his colleagues. The Borussia Dortmund starlet is a potential game-changer - but can he help his side haul themselves back from the brink?
54' Half-time substitute Reyna makes an impact by teeing up McKennie to strike from inside the box, but the Juventus midfielder leans back and sends his effort over the crossbar.
53' Noppert makes a routine save low down in the centre of his goal, as Pulisic lets fly with an ambitious shot from long range. It's been a wide-open start to the second half!
51' SUPER SAVE! Turner demonstrates sharp reflexes, as he makes a stop at his near post when Zimmerman's attempted clearance almost sneaks by for an own goal!
50' CLOSE! McKennie's header from the centre of the area is saved by Noppert, following a cross from Pulisic, then Ream sees a goalbound effort hacked away from near the goal-line!
48' Haring back into position at top speed, Ake manages to make a late intervention to divert Weah's cross behind for a corner.
G. Reyna
J. Ferreira
46' The USA also make a switch for the second half: Ferreira makes way for Reyna up front.
S. Bergwijn
M. de Roon
46' De Roon is also replaced; Bergwijn comes on for the second half.
T. Koopmeiners
D. Klaassen
46' Despite - or perhaps because of - leading by two at half-time, Van Gaal makes a double change. Firat, Klaassen makes way for Koopmeiners.
46' We are back under way at Khalifa International Stadium!
Van Gaal has lost none of his 10 World Cup games in charge (W7 D3), which is the most without ever losing in the finals. Only Brazilian coaches Luiz Felipe Scolari (12) and Mario Zagallo (11) had longer unbeaten starts - he can match the latter today.
Though this has been a finals of fightbacks and several shocks, the Netherlands are surely on their way to the quarter-finals following a ruthless display in the first half. Both engineered by Dumfries - the first ending a long one-touch move of some skill - their two goals have punished an energetic but toothless American side, who now have a mountain to climb after the interval. The USA spurned one great chance early on, but clearly lack a real cutting edge.
45' + 2' HALF-TIME: NETHERLANDS 2-0 UNITED STATES
D. Dumfries
Assist
45' + 1' For the second time today, Dumfries eludes the attentions of his US counterparts and chops the ball back towards the area from the right-hand side; setting up another goal.
D. Blind
Goal
45' + 1' DOUBLE DUTCH DELIGHT! Outwitting his marker on the right byline, following a throw-in, Dumfries unlocks the States' defence once again. The wing-back cuts the ball back for Blind - chasing in from the opposite flank - who slots the ball into the bottom corner for his side's second goal! Just before the break, it's Netherlands 2-0 USA!!
45' On the counter-attack, following a promising US attack, Gakpo pulls the ball back towards the centre but sees it cleared away to safety.
43' SMART STOP! A stinging shot from the right edge of the area by Weah scuds towards goal at high velocity, but Noppert responds by palming the ball away to his left! It was a save he should certainly make, but that was some hit from the USA striker!
42' After Pulisic overhits a pass to Robinson on the left side of the area, the full-back's deflected low cross is gathered easily by Noppert at his near post.
40' In the centre-circle, Timber rashly clatters Pulisic from behind with a mistimed challenge and concedes a needless free-kick.
39' Timber quickly closes down Pulisic, who reaches the left byline relatively unopposed, and avoids conceding a corner. It's just a throw-in near the flag for the USA.
37' With frustration building, both McKennie and Adams attempt lofted balls over the top of a deep-lying Dutch defence, and each is easily cleared away by a header from Van Dijk.
35' After Robinson pings a low ball in to Ferreira from the left, the striker's lack of control results in the breakdown of another United States attack, and that's been the story of the Stars and Stripes' first half.
33' Reflecting their lack of penetration so far, it has been over 30 minutes since the USA last attempted a shot on goal.
32' Sensing a dip in momentum from their opponents, the Netherlands' front line are now pressing high up the field; making things difficult for the US to play out.
30' Chasing back to help out his back four, McKennie hacks the ball away from Dumfries' cutback along the edge of the area - a similar pass to that which set up Depay's opening goal.
28' Zimmerman heads the ball behind from Gakpo's corner on the left-hand side, then clears his lines again from the Dutch winger's second attempt soon after.
25' While the United States are on top in terms of possession - by 10 per cent to this point - there is a resolute Oranje wall facing them, and there's been little opportunity to break through since Pulisic's early chance.
23' The Dutch defence are penned deep inside their own third of the pitch now, as the USA take control again. Given the high stakes, this game has ebbed and flowed quite pleasingly so far.
21' MISS! By contrast with their move for the opening goal, the Netherlands get the ball forward early via a raking Van Dijk pass towards Depay on the right side of the box, but the latter fires his first-time shot several feet wide of the left-hand post.
19' A slack touch by McKennie sends the ball behind for a goal-kick and brings a premature end to a promising United States move, after Robinson opens up space by charging down the left flank at speed.
17' Following a direct run down the centre of the USA half, Gakpo slides the ball through for Blind, who is making an overlapping run on the left, but the latter's attempt at goal is skewed well off target and flies comfortably over the crossbar.
15' Adams picks himself up and returns to his place in the USA's engine room, as the action resumes.
14' After receiving a swinging arm in the face from Dumfries, Adams lies flattened on the turf and nurses a sore mouth. As a result, the game comes to a momentary halt.
12' The Netherlands have avoided defeat in their last 22 matches when scoring the opening goal in the World Cup, dating back to 1978, so precedent is very much on their side after taking the lead today.
D. Dumfries
Assist
10' Finishing off a sweet passing move, Dumfries picks out Depay on the edge of the box for the game's opening goal.
M. Depay
Goal
10' THE NETHERLANDS LEAD! A brilliant sweeping move of one-touch passing and movement puts the Netherlands in front! At the end of a rhythmic passing sequence which slices through the US defence, Depay receives the ball from Dumfries on the edge of the area and buries it in the bottom-left corner! What a beauty! Netherlands 1-0 USA!
8' Contorting himself to turn the ball away with a clearing header from near the penalty spot, Ake averts danger from Pulisic's left-wing cross.
7' Pulisic swings over a corner from the left, but Dumfries steers Ream under the ball near the back post and allows it to trickle behind to safety.
5' It's one-way traffic at the moment, as the USA flood forward and zip passes around a Netherlands side largely chasing shadows. Berhalter's boys have come flying out of the traps again!
3' SAVE! After making most of the early running, the USA almost make a breakthrough! When Pulisic eludes the Dutch offside trap and finds himself free in the area, Noppert is alert enough to make a low save with his leg and repel the ball to safety!
1' Clad in their classic oranje, the Netherlands kick off, and we are under way in Al Rayyan!
The players are out on the pitch at Khalifa International Stadium, and after both national anthems have been aired, kick-off is now just moments away!
USA fans are relieved to see Pulisic named in their starting XI today, after suffering a pelvic injury as he scored the winner versus Iran. However, fellow forward Josh Sargent is sidelined by an ankle issue, so Ferreira makes his first start of the finals. Berhalter's only other change sees Zimmerman return for Carter-Vickers, who drops to the bench. Ajax academy product Dest lines up at right-back against the country of his birth, forming part of the second-youngest starting XI at Qatar 2022 so far, with an average age of 25 years, 86 days.
Though several Dutch players were apparently suffering flu-like symptoms earlier this week, Van Gaal has been able to name a side unchanged from that which started the win over Qatar. Therefore, Depay and Golden Boot candidate Gakpo join forces up front, while Timber holds off the challenge of De Ligt to start in the back three. Both the latter and Ake would miss a potential quarter-final tie should they receive a yellow card today.
SUBS: Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Giovanni Reyna, Brenden Aaronson, Luca De La Torre, Aaron Long, Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, Shaquell Moore, Haji Wright, Cameron Carter-Vickers, DeAndre Yedlin, Kellyn Acosta, Joe Scally.
UNITED STATES (4-3-3): Matt Turner; Sergino Dest, Walker Zimmerman, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Yunus Musah, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie; Timothy Weah, Jesus Ferreira, Christian Pulisic.
SUBS: Remko Pasveer, Justin Bijlow, Matthijs de Ligt, Stefan de Vrij, Steven Bergwijn, Luuk de Jong, Steven Berghuis, Noa Lang, Tyrell Malacia, Vincent Janssen, Wout Weghorst, Teun Koopmeiners, Kenneth Taylor, Xavi Simons, Jeremie Frimpong.
NETHERLANDS (3-4-1-2): Andries Noppert; Jurrien Timber, Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake; Denzel Dumfries, Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon, Daley Blind; Davy Klaassen; Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo.
The United States edged through to the knockout rounds by virtue of Christian Pulisic's decisive goal in their final Group B fixture versus Iran. Tuesday's 1-0 win saw them leapfrog their rivals into second place behind England, who they had held to a goalless draw in their second match. The Stars and Stripes most recently made the World Cup's last 16 in 2014, while a quarter-final appearance in 2002 represents their deepest run since 1930 - however the USMNT have not beaten a European nation at the finals for 20 years. Coach Gregg Berhalter, who spent six years in Holland during his playing days, is the man tasked with breaking new ground for the 2026 co-hosts.
Now kicking off Qatar 2022's knockout stages, the Netherlands topped Group A to secure their passage to the last 16, with Cody Gakpo scoring in each match as they took seven points from nine available. The Oranje saw off already-eliminated hosts Qatar last time out, after beating Senegal and drawing with Ecuador, but their playing style has been much maligned back at home. Nonetheless, Louis van Gaal's squad have continued a proud tradition of Dutch teams reaching at least this stage in every World Cup finals they've played at since 1934, while also extending an unbeaten streak which now stands at 18 matches.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's World Cup clash between the Netherlands and the United States at Al Khalifa International Stadium!
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