Netherlands manager Andries Jonker lauded the performance of Daphne van Domselaar after the goalkeeper made a number of saves on Sunday to keep South Africa at bay and help her team progress to the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup.
The 23-year-old Aston Villa goalkeeper was named the player of the match as the Dutch registered a 2-0 win over the African champions at Sydney Football Stadium and set up a last eight clash with Spain in Wellington on Friday.
"If you compare her with other keepers, I think she's developed a lot," Jonker said of Van Domselaar.
"Four years ago, there were goalkeepers that could not deal with the ball just under the bar and now we've got a whole generation of very athletic goalkeepers, who don't let in that kind of ball.
"Daphne is one of that new generation. They're athletic, they're in good shape, they've got good positioning, so the developments in that area are incredible and the Netherlands are right along there."
Jonker's side took the lead in the ninth minute when Jill Roord headed in from close range and Lineth Beerensteyn sealed the win in the 68th minute when her shot squirmed through the arms of South Africa goalkeeper Kaylin Swart.
South Africa will be kicking themselves after having numerous chances in the opening 45 minutes, almost all to livewire captain Thembi Kgatlana.
On six minutes the striker fired straight at Van Domselaar - it was to become a theme. On 12 minutes she sprinted away from the Dutch defence and fizzed her effort just over the bar.
Kgatlana rattled the opposition once more soon after with a mazy run and shot that stung the palms of Van Domselaar. But she had nothing to show for her efforts.
The gloss was taken off the Dutch victory, however, when Danielle van de Donk received her second booking of the tournament to rule her out of the meeting with Spain.
Meanwhile, Keira Walsh gave England a potential boost ahead of their round of 16 clash with Nigeria when the midfielder was able to train with the team on Sunday, one day before their elimination match.
Walsh suffered a knee injury in England’s 1-0 win against Denmark in the Lionesses’ second game of the group stage. Scans showed she did not damage her ACL, but it wasn't clear if Walsh would be able to play again this tournament.
Walsh, who plays for Barcelona, participated in individual training to return to playing form and finally joined her teammates in Sunday's practice.
England did not reveal if Walsh, the highest-paid player in women's football, will play against Nigeria.
Walsh joined Barcelona from Manchester City last year for a reported record fee of $513,000, a record for women's game.
Despite fears England would not be able to replace Walsh, the Lionesses produced their best performance of the tournament in their final group game by beating China 6-1.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
THE SPECS
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On sale: Now
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UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD v SOUTH AFRICA
Aaron Finch (capt), Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
