The Netherlands reached the semi-finals of the women's World Cup for the first time in their history on Saturday after Vivianne Miedema and Stefanie van der Gragt scored in a 2-0 win over Italy in Valenciennes. Appearing at just their second World Cup, the Dutch will travel to Lyon to face one of Germany or Sweden, who play later in Rennes, in the last four after fine headers from record goal-scorer Miedema and Van der Gragt in the last 20 minutes of this quarter-final.
The result also means they have qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as one of the three best performing European sides in France. "The most important thing is that we won against Italy," said Sherida Spitse, who set up both goals with stunning set-piece deliveries. "That I can be important with my free-kicks I know that, but the most important thing is that we are going to the semi-finals and Tokyo."
Both teams had complained about the scheduling of the match in the middle of the afternoon during a punishing early summer heatwave that is sweeping Europe. However it was the Dutch who responded best to the on-pitch humidity, with temperatures creeping over 30 degrees Celsius, completely dominating the second half in an impressive display that will give whoever wins later on Saturday pause for thought. Italy had not reached the quarter-finals since the very first women's World Cup in 1991. The United States and England will face off in the other semi-final on Tuesday after the Americans beat France 2-1 in a pulsating encounter on Friday. England beat Norway 3-0 on Thursday.
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