DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Louis van Gaal leaned to the left, put his arm around Denzel Dumfries and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Dumfries probably deserved even more kisses from his coach on Saturday after leading the Netherlands to the World Cup. quarterfinals with a goal and two assists in a 3-1 win over the United States.
“Yesterday, or the day before yesterday, I gave him a big kiss,” Van Gaal said at the post-match press conference. “I’m going to give him another big fat kiss for everyone to see.”
And so he did.
“There you have it,” Van Gaal said, showing his affection for the right-back, who plays for Italian club Inter Milan.
Dumfries did it all against the Americans as the Netherlands extended their unbeaten run to 19 matches in their quest for an elusive World Cup title.
The Dutch national team carries the burden of being probably the best soccer country that has never won the World Cup. The Netherlands have been runners-up three times —1974, 1978 and 2010— and were third in 2014 after losing to Argentina on penalties in the semifinals.
However, the team failed to qualify in 2018, which probably provided him with more motivation this time around.
Dumfries scored Oranje’s final goal in the 81st minute with a volley after second half substitute Haji Wright scored in the 76th to bring the Americans back into the match briefly. He also added assists on the other two goals at Khalifa International Stadium: Memphis Depay’s in the tenth and Daley Blind’s in first-half stoppage time.
“It was a great game and I’m happy to be able to be important to the team,” said Dumfries, who is named after American actor Denzel Washington.
“I am proud to have his name,” he said. “I am incredibly proud of Denzel Washington. He is a really strong personality who expresses his views and I see him as an example”.
Dumfries said Oranje was “more focused” than in lackluster group stage matches: a 1-1 draw with Ecuador and 2-0 wins over Senegal and Qatar.
“We knew we could play better than in the first three games,” he said.
The United States had more ball possession and more goal attempts: 16 to 12. But the Dutch handled it well.
“In the Netherlands we are used to having the ball, to having possession,” Dumfries said. “This is a different way of playing. I also understand the criticism in the Netherlands because we can play much better with the ball.”
United States goalkeeper Matt Turner and the United States defense were under constant pressure managing crosses into the six-yard box.
“It was like they had a little extra patience and they cut the ball off, and we didn’t track it well,” Turner said. “I felt like every time they crossed the ball, they had the head or a part.”
Cody Gakpo, who has scored three goals in the tournament, said what Van Gaal has been saying: The Netherlands can finally win the title, although few think this is one of the best teams in the nation.
“We have believed in ourselves from the beginning and we have come here with a goal,” Gakpo said. “And that is trying to become world champions. We believe in that.”
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