The Netherlands women’s team have prepared for the 2023 World Cup with a 2-1 win over a men’s team, despite fears of ‘humiliation’.
The 2019 finalists have already had a unique speech from Oranje legend Arjen Robben ahead of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, and have now played an unconventional fixture.
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That’s despite the Dutch FA – the KNVB – worried about the ‘reputational damage’ that would come with a defeat, according to De Telegraaf.
Instead, though, the Leeuwinnen [Lionesses] won the match against Amsterdam Volewijckers Under 18s by a score of 2-1.
Esmee Brugts and former Arsenal star Danielle van de Donk scored the goals for the winning side, with local youngster Ivar Wijna scoring for the men’s team.
The match took place at the KNVB headquarters in Zeist, with the team preparing to head across the globe and adjust to their new time zones ahead of kick-off on July 20.
The win was arranged by manager Andries Jonker, despite fears from the KNVB not just over embarrassment, but also a punishment from UEFA for an unregulated friendly.
It was no surprise that PSV’s Brugts scored in the match, as the 19-year-old forward had been playing with men’s teams up until three years ago.
Women’s teams playing men’s teams for training purposes is nothing new in football, but rarely are matches made public.
Champions League winners Barcelona Femeni have praised the impact of learning from matches against the opposite sex, while their men’s and women’s youth ranks now train together up until under 14 level.
