Defending champions the Netherlands and the world’s second-ranked side Sweden could not be separated as the two sides played out an entertaining draw in front of 21,342 fans in their Euro 2022 Group C opener at Bramall Lane.
A clash between two of the world’s best teams always looked like being a tight affair and so it proved.
The Netherlands, not helped by injuries to their first-choice goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal and defender Aniek Nouwen, looked cagey in the opening 45 minutes.
Sweden, in contrast, executed their gameplan superbly, giving their opponents very few opportunities to attack while creating chances of their own.
They deservedly took the lead just before half-time when Kosovare Asllani’s ball across the box found the unmarked Jonna Andersson, who fired across the goalkeeper and into the net.
But the Netherlands came out firing after the break and drew level thanks to Jill Roord’s turn and finish following a good move.
Both sides had chances to snatch a winner, with Sweden’s Fridolina Rolfo seeing a long-range effort saved, and Magdalena Eriksson doing well to deny Roord a second for the Dutch.
In the end a draw was a fair reflection of the game and means Group C is wide open after Portugal and Switzerland drew earlier on Saturday.
The impressive attendance at Bramall Lane was a new record for a European Women’s Championship group stage match not involving a host nation.
Dutch improve after slow start
There was plenty of excitement in the build-up to the game with Sheffield’s city centre a sea of orange and yellow as fans mingled in the sunshine.
The atmosphere carried over into the stadium where thousands of Netherlands fans had come to witness their national team begin their title defence.
The Dutch won Euro 2017 under Sarina Wiegman, who now manages England, with Englishman Mark Parsons taking charge of the Oranje last year.
But his preparations for this tournament have been hampered by injuries, which continued into the game itself.
Even before their enforced substitutions, they looked well off the pace in the first half as they struggled to get star forward Vivianne Miedema into the game.
To their credit, they were considerably better after the break as they found more joy attacking in wide areas, and that will give them confidence they can get better as the tournament progresses.
Sweden show they will be tough to beat
Sweden have been steadily improving in recent years and, after finishing third at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, they won the silver medal at Tokyo 2020.
Their form in the run-up to Euro 2022 has been impressive. They won the Algarve Cup – ahead of Italy, Norway and Portugal – in February and came into this game on the back of a run of 12 matches without defeat.
The Swedish players’ confidence in their gameplan and ability was clear from the outset as they had the measure of their opponents for almost the entirety of the first half.
While the Netherlands fought back after the break, this was a performance that highlighted how difficult Sweden will be to beat at Euro 2022 as they look to win a European Championship for the first time since the inaugural edition in 1984.
Player of the match
MiedemaVivianne Miedema
Netherlands
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Squad number9Player nameMiedemaAverage rating
7.93
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Squad number6Player nameRoordAverage rating
7.09
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Squad number16Player namevan Domselaar
Average rating7.00
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Squad number10Player namevan de Donk
Average rating6.97
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Squad number8Player nameSpitse
Average rating6.87
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Squad number14Player nameGroenen
Average rating6.77
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Squad number11Player nameMartens
Average rating6.58
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Squad number20Player nameJanssen
Average rating6.29
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Squad number5Player nameWilms
Average rating6.14
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Squad number2Player nameNouwen
Average rating6.06
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Squad number12Player namePelova
Average rating6.04
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Squad number3Player namevan der Gragt
Average rating5.84
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Squad number1Player namevan Veenendaal
Average rating5.74
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Squad number7Player nameBeerensteyn
Average rating5.50
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Squad number19Player nameOlislagers
Average rating5.41
Sweden
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Squad number18Player nameRolfö
Average rating7.72
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Squad number6Player nameEriksson
Average rating7.65
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Squad number1Player nameLindahl
Average rating7.43
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Squad number8Player nameHurtig
Average rating7.42
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Squad number2Player nameAndersson
Average rating7.41
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Squad number9Player nameAsllani
Average rating7.03
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Squad number17Player nameSeger
Average rating7.00
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Squad number20Player nameBennison
Average rating6.95
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Squad number13Player nameIlestedt
Average rating6.92
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Squad number19Player nameRytting Kaneryd
Average rating6.90
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Squad number16Player nameAngeldahl
Average rating6.85
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Squad number4Player nameGlas
Average rating6.50
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Squad number14Player nameBjörn
Average rating6.48
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Squad number11Player nameBlackstenius
Average rating6.26
Line-ups
Netherlands
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1van VeenendaalSubstituted forvan Domselaarat 22′minutes
- 5Wilms
- 3van der Gragt
- 2NouwenSubstituted forOlislagersat 41′minutes
- 20Janssen
- 14Groenen
- 8Spitse
- 6RoordSubstituted forBeerensteynat 79′minutes
- 10van de DonkSubstituted forPelovaat 79′minutes
- 11Martens
- 9Miedema
Substitutes
- 4van Dongen
- 7Beerensteyn
- 12Pelova
- 13Jansen
- 15Dijkstra
- 16van Domselaar
- 17Leuchter
- 18Casparij
- 19Olislagers
- 21Egurrola
- 22Brugts
- 23Lorsheyd
Sweden
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Lindahl
- 13Ilestedt
- 14Björn
- 6Eriksson
- 4Glas
- 16AngeldahlSubstituted forBennisonat 71′minutes
- 17Seger
- 2AnderssonSubstituted forRytting Kanerydat 71′minutes
- 9Asllani
- 8HurtigSubstituted forBlacksteniusat 70′minutes
- 18Rolfö
Substitutes
- 3Sembrant
- 5Nildén
- 7Kullberg
- 10Jakobsson
- 11Blackstenius
- 12Falk
- 15Blomqvist
- 19Rytting Kaneryd
- 20Bennison
- 21Musovic
- 22Schough
- 23Rubensson
- Referee:
- Cheryl Foster
- Attendance:
- 21,342
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Netherlands 1, Sweden 1.
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Second Half ends, Netherlands 1, Sweden 1.
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Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Sherida Spitse.
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Foul by Stina Blackstenius (Sweden).
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Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Sherida Spitse.
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Attempt blocked. Fridolina Rolfö (Sweden) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden).
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Lieke Martens (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Netherlands. Victoria Pelova tries a through ball, but Lynn Wilms is caught offside.
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Corner, Netherlands. Conceded by Caroline Seger.
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Attempt blocked. Victoria Pelova (Netherlands) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lynn Wilms.
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Attempt missed. Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Kosovare Asllani with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Daphne van Domselaar.
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Attempt saved. Fridolina Rolfö (Sweden) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
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Attempt saved. Kosovare Asllani (Sweden) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Hanna Bennison.
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Foul by Kosovare Asllani (Sweden).
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Jackie Groenen (Netherlands) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Kosovare Asllani (Sweden).
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Jackie Groenen (Netherlands) wins a free kick in the defensive half.