The 1-1 tie between the United States and the Netherlands on Wednesday created a fascinating scenario heading into the third and final round of matches in Group E.
Neither the Americans nor the Dutch were able to guarantee safe passage to the round of 16, though both would do so with at least a tie in their last game Wednesday, Aug. 2. The USA will face Portugal (coverage begins at 1 a.m. ET, with kickoff at 3 a.m. on FOX and the FOX Sports app) while the Netherlands take on Vietnam (kickoff at 3 a.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
Realistically, however, both will be looking for far more than that. Finishing first in Group E confers the advantage of a more favorable position in the elimination bracket, a prize well worth chasing.
What must the USWNT fix in upcoming match against Portugal?
The pair of 2019 finalists will each be looking to handsomely beat their lower-ranked opponents, and if they both do so, then goal differential will come into play as the first tiebreaker.
On that front, the Americans currently hold the advantage, sitting at +3 compared to Holland’s +1.
However, it could be argued that goal-scoring hero Lindsey Horan and her teammates will face a tougher challenge against Portugal than their rival will against Vietnam.
Portugal and Vietnam were due to meet later Thursday, with each assured of being eliminated with a defeat.
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.
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