Women's European Championship
NetherlandsNetherlands1NorwayNorway0

Netherlands Women 1-0 Norway Women

Shanice van de Sanden
Shanice van de Sanden scored her 10th international goal for the Netherlands

Hosts Netherlands got their Women's Euro 2017 campaign off to a successful start with a deserved win over Norway.

Liverpool's Shanice van de Sanden scored the only goal, heading in Lieke Martens' pin-point cross from close range after 66 minutes.

Netherlands could have opened the scoring in the opening 30 seconds, but Ingrid Hjelmseth kept out a shot from Arsenal's Danielle van de Donk.

In the second game in Group A, Denmark defeated Belgium 1-0.

Sanne Troelsgaard headed in the only goal in Doetinchem after Pernille Harder's free-kick was tipped on to the crossbar.

The closest Belgium came to finding the net was through Janice Cayman's flicked effort, but Danish goalkeeper Stina Lykke Petersen did well to push the ball to safety.

Norway come up against Belgium on Thursday in their next group game (17:00 BST kick-off), while Netherlands face Denmark on the same day (19:45 BST kick-off).

Women's Footballer of the Year kept quiet

The 2013 finalists Norway were second best throughout against a Dutch side helped by a boisterous home following in Utrecht. The crowd of 21,732 at the Stade Galgenwaard was a record for a women's football match in the Netherlands.

Sarina Wiegman's side had plenty of chances, the best of which fell to new Barcelona signing Martens, who forced Hjelmseth into a fine save, while Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema dragged an effort wide.

Chelsea midfielder Maren Mjelde came close with a free-kick for Norway's, their best effort in the encounter.

Striker Ada Hegerberg, the current BBC Women's Footballer of the Year, barely got a kick during the match and was largely kept quiet by the Dutch defence.

The most presentable chance fell to her with a minute remaining, but her deflected strike was easy for Arsenal goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal.

'The King came to see us'

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima were present at the match in Utrecht

Netherlands forward Shanice van de Sanden said: "A dream came true today. I played in my home city, I was born two minutes from the stadium and my whole family was in the stands.

"This is the first game so we can enjoy it but we have to calm down and focus on the next game.

"My whole team played really well and it was nice to score the goal in this stadium. We win together but I like to steal the show. With all the people in the stands, everyone in orange, it was amazing.

"The King of Netherlands came to see us in the locker room after and said a few words. That was pretty cool."

Analysis

Former England and Everton defender Lindsay Johnson:

It is so important for you to get the three points in the first game, but the performance from the Netherlands was fantastic too.

They have shown the rest of the group they are not here just because they are the hosts, they can play too.

With the crowd behind them, it is going to be tough to break them down.

The whole built-up to the goal was fantastic. Lieke Martens looked up and found Shanice van de Sanden, who finished off the cross with a header into the bottom corner.

BBC Sport's Alistair Magowan in Utrecht:

Norway might have a greater pedigree but they were outplayed by a more vigorous and effervescent Netherlands side, who gave the tournament a perfect lift-off in front a record crowd.

The margin of victory appeared slim, and the Dutch should have been out of sight based on the number of chances they created and missed with Arsenal forward Vivianne Miedema most culpable.

But in Lieke Martens and goalscorer Shanice van de Sanden, they have two potential stars of the tournament. On either flank, they simply destroyed the Norwegian defence.

When Van de Sanden broke down in tears at the final whistle, the pressure of performing in an opening game as a host nation was clear to see. They might not be hot favourites but with a buoyant crowd behind them, they can certainly challenge.

Line-ups

Netherlands

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1van Veenendaal
  • 2van Lunteren
  • 6Dekker
  • 4van den BergSubstituted forvan der Gragtat 80'minutes
  • 5van Es
  • 14GroenenBooked at 90mins
  • 8Spitse
  • 7van de SandenSubstituted forBeerensteynat 76'minutes
  • 10van de DonkSubstituted forRoordat 90+1'minutes
  • 11Martens
  • 9Miedema

Substitutes

  • 3van der Gragt
  • 12Roord
  • 13Jansen
  • 15Folkertsma
  • 16Christ
  • 17Zeeman
  • 18Lewerissa
  • 19van den Bulk
  • 20Janssen
  • 21Beerensteyn
  • 22van der Most
  • 23Geurts

Norway

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Hjelmseth
  • 2Wold
  • 6Mjelde
  • 11Holstad Berge
  • 9Thorsnes
  • 7SchjelderupSubstituted forReitenat 75'minutes
  • 3Thorisdottir
  • 18MaanumSubstituted forIsaksenat 58'minutes
  • 17MindeSubstituted forHaaviat 66'minutes
  • 14HegerbergBooked at 9mins
  • 10Graham Hansen

Substitutes

  • 4Reiten
  • 5Hansen
  • 8Hegerberg
  • 12Fiskerstrand
  • 13Pettersen Reinas
  • 15Karlseng Utland
  • 16Sonstevold
  • 19Isaksen
  • 20Haavi
  • 21Leine
  • 22Spord
  • 23Hove Bogstad
Referee:
Stéphanie Frappart
Attendance:
21,732

Match Stats

Home TeamNetherlandsAway TeamNorway
Possession
Home58%
Away42%
Shots
Home18
Away6
Shots on Target
Home8
Away2
Corners
Home7
Away5
Fouls
Home9
Away8

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Netherlands Women 1, Norway 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Netherlands Women 1, Norway 0.

  3. Post update

    Kika van Es (Netherlands Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway).

  5. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands Women. Jill Roord replaces Daniëlle van de Donk.

  6. Booking

    Jackie Groenen (Netherlands Women) is shown the yellow card.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Daniëlle van de Donk (Netherlands Women).

  8. Post update

    Emilie Haavi (Norway) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Attempt missed. Desiree van Lunteren (Netherlands Women) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Jackie Groenen (Netherlands Women).

  11. Post update

    Guro Reiten (Norway) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  12. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Lieke Martens (Netherlands Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands Women. Stefanie van der Gragt replaces Mandy van den Berg.

  14. Post update

    Attempt missed. Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands Women) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Sherida Spitse.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Netherlands Women. Lineth Beerensteyn replaces Shanice van de Sanden.

  16. Substitution

    Substitution, Norway. Guro Reiten replaces Ingrid Schjelderup.

  17. Post update

    Corner, Netherlands Women. Conceded by Ingrid Hjelmseth.

  18. Post update

    Attempt saved. Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands Women).

  20. Post update

    Maren Mjelde (Norway) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Sunday 16th July 2017

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Denmark11001013
2Netherlands11001013
3Belgium100101-10
4Norway100101-10

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Germany00000000
2Italy00000000
3Football Union of Russia00000000
4Sweden00000000

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Austria00000000
2France00000000
3Iceland00000000
4Switzerland00000000

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1England00000000
2Portugal00000000
3Scotland00000000
4Spain00000000
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