Fansided

3 dark horse candidates to make a magical run to Women’s World Cup title

By Caden Charpentier

DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 1: Jill Roord of Holland Women (R) celebrates 0-7 with Stefanie van der Gragt of Holland Women during the World Cup Women match between Vietnam Woman v Holland Women at the Dunedin Stadium on August 1, 2023 in Dunedin New Zealand (Photo by Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)
DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 1: Jill Roord of Holland Women (R) celebrates 0-7 with Stefanie van der Gragt of Holland Women during the World Cup Women match between Vietnam Woman v Holland Women at the Dunedin Stadium on August 1, 2023 in Dunedin New Zealand (Photo by Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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Netherlands’ midfielder #06 Jill Roord celebrates scoring her team’s seventh goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup Group E football match between Vietnam and the Netherlands at Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin on August 1, 2023. (Photo by Sanka Vidanagama / AFP) (Photo by SANKA VIDANAGAMA/AFP via Getty Images)
Netherlands’ midfielder #06 Jill Roord celebrates scoring her team’s seventh goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup Group E football match between Vietnam and the Netherlands at Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin on August 1, 2023. (Photo by Sanka Vidanagama / AFP) (Photo by SANKA VIDANAGAMA/AFP via Getty Images) /

2023 Women’s World Cup dark horses: Netherlands

The Dutch did to Vietnam what the USWNT should have done in the first place to open up this tournament. Many counted this team out with the nation’s leading scorer Vivianne Miedema out due to injury. That match against Vietnam, while it was not the most quality of opponents was a demonstration of how clinical Andries Jonker’s team can be.

Having won Group E, the 2019 World Cup finalists do not have to encounter the winners of another group until possibly the quarterfinals.

The European outfit had 10 more shots on target than the two-time defending world champions against the only Asian side in Group E. Youngster Esmee Brugts has been brilliant in her time between the white lines, scoring two goals, both of which were top-class finishes. Along with talents like Manchester City’s Jill Roord to pair with veterans Daniëlle van de Donk, and Stefanie van der Gragt among others, this nation has shown it is capable of reaching the final even without Miedema leading the line.

Currently, according to bet365, the Dutch have the eighth-highest odds to win the World Cup. If Jonker’s side were to advance into the quarterfinals, the next opponent would be either Spain or Switzerland. Encountering the Spanish is not the most ideal of matchups, but given the way that the team performed against Japan, it may not be the worst option either.