Defender Stefanie van der Gragt scored the only goal as 2019 runners-up the Netherlands beat debutants Portugal 1-0 in their opening game at the Women's World Cup on Sunday.
Van der Gragt's early header was given following a VAR check after initially being disallowed for offside and the Dutch held on in a Group E contest played under a closed roof in Dunedin.
The win sets the Netherlands up nicely for a mouthwatering showdown on Thursday with holders the United States, who beat them 2-0 in the final in France four years ago.
The Dutch no longer appear to be the force they were in 2019, with influential coach Sarina Wiegman having departed to take the England job and prolific striker Vivianne Miedema missing the World Cup as she recovers from a knee injury.
However, new coach Andries Jonker named a line-up that featured seven players who started the 2019 final, plus new Manchester City recruit Jill Roord, who came off the bench in that match.
And it was one of their most experienced players who got the only goal in the 13th minute in front of a crowd of nearly 12,000.
Centre-back Van der Gragt, who has over 100 caps, got up to powerfully head a Sherida Spitse corner beyond Portugal goalkeeper Ines Pereira.
The assistant referee's flag came up for an offside against Roord, who was standing just in front of the line, but a review confirmed that she was not obstructing Pereira and the goal was given.
Portugal, who came through the play-offs to qualify for their first World Cup, struggled to create chances with substitute Telma Encarnacao producing their first shot on target in the 82nd minute.
The Netherlands saw Danielle van de Donk come close early in the second half.
But they suffered a blow as forward Lineth Beerensteyn came off with a knock late on.
They will hope she recovers in time to face the USA, while Portugal will hope to get their first World Cup victory when they play Vietnam – beaten 3-0 by the Americans on Saturday – next.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
If%20you%20go
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prestigious peace prize, held its final meeting on Monday, the Nobel Institute said Thursday, a day ahead of the announcement of the 2025 laureate.
This means a decision was made about the laureate or laureates before the conclusion of an agreement between Israel and Hamas, which included a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
President Donald Trump pushed for the ceasefire as part of a 20-point plan to resolve the Gaza war.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
Mrs%20Chatterjee%20Vs%20Norway
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
