The Netherlands are through to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup quarterfinals after beating one of the biggest surprises in the tournament in South Africa 2-0.
Jill Roord and Lineth Beerenstyn who was making her return from injury scored for the Dutch and they held on to keep the clean sheet which earned Daphne Van Doormesalr the player of the match award.
" Lineth is our South African player", Jonkers responded when I asked about the return and the performance of Beerenstyn. " She's unpredictable on what she is going to do and you hope the opponent doesn't know and in the second half she was quite impressive."
It was actually the South Africans who had the first chance of the match in the sixth minute when their star player Thembi Kgatlana was able to get a pass from Jermaine Seoposenwe who made a great steal but was denied by Van Doormeslar who made her first save of the game.
" I trust my team and I am 100% convinced about their ability to fight and play good matches and to play good football and if you have that quality on the team you feel relaxed."
A minute later the Dutch had their first scoring opportunity when Sherida Spitse got a solid header on target but was denied by the South African keeper Kaylin Swart.
Two minutes later Roord opened the scoring off a corner and managed to head a ball in the air into the net to give the Netherlands the 1-0 lead.
" I was in the right position", Roord told me in the mixed zone after the match. " I didn't have to do much and I just had to head it in."
Victoria Pelova had a chance to double the Netherlands lead in the 15th minute but her shot was saved by Swart and 13 minutes later Danielle Van De Donk had a chance but was also denied.
Jermaine Seoponswe was subbed out of the game in the 30th minute due to an injury and was replaced by Wendy Shongwe. Five minutes later Kgatlana was at it again with a stunning dribble in the box and a powerful shot that was stopped by Van Doormeslar.
In the 45th minute, Kgatlana had an even better opportunity from close range and had a chance at a rebound but again was denied by Van Doormeslar who was playing a great match.
Shongwe had her first chance of the match in extra time of the first half but couldn't find the back of the net. In the 54th minute, Beerenstyn thought she scored when she beat Swart with a superb turn and shot but the goal went to VAR and after a short review was deemed offside.
14 minutes later she redeemed herself when she was able to power a shot from just outside the box that fooled Swart and went right through her to make it 2-0 for the Netherlands.
In the 73rd minute, Linda Motlhalo had a chance from the top of the box but failed to beat the Dutch keeper Van Doormselar.
" We played against a very good side today", Motlhalo told me in the media mixed zone after the game. " We had chances and we should have buried them."
20 minutes later on the last chance of the game for South Africa, Kgatlana had one last shot and one final save for Van Doormeslar.
After the game, Kgatlana had nothing but positive things to say about the match and the tournament.
" We had to give it all, we didn't know what was going to happen and we had to bring our A game."
Jill Ellis a former South African player gave her honest feedback and feels they had a chance to get the win but fell short.
" Yesterday we said we needed to score more goals", Ellis said. "We had a lot of opportunities, especially in the first half and we knew the Netherlands was a quality side and our goalkeeper had a fantastic game."
I asked Ellis how much of a setback it was to lose Jermaine Seoposenwe early in the game and she feels it was a game-changer.
" I think it was huge, they are instrumental in the way we play and what she brings to the team and it's unfortunate but it is a part of sport but I thought the players who came in played well."
South Africa is a country that still doesn't have a professional league and Ellis spoke about getting one in place and spoke even about players having to work and play at the same time.
" I think it is absolutely essential that we get a professional league and we have an amateur league back home and it's unacceptable that we have a player working 9-5 and training after at night."
The Netherlands will now face Spain in the quarterfinals after they dispatched Switzerland yesterday quite convincingly 5-1 in New Zealand and the Dutch will head back to Auckland.
A keynote for the next game Danielle Van De Donk picked up another yellow card and will be suspended for the game against Spain due to a yellow card accumulation.