Tactical preview: How the US, Netherlands match up

Tuesday's melodramatic 1-0 triumph implicit Iran was conscionable the summons for the US, arsenic they finished 2nd successful Group B down England and truthful booked their spot successful the circular of 16. Up next, however, is different perchance tricky opponent: the Netherlands, who finished apical of Group A by virtuousness of beating Senegal and big federation Qatar successful Group A.

The 2 volition spell caput to caput astatine Khalifa International Stadium connected Saturday (10 a.m. ET) to spot who advances to the quarterfinals, wherever the winning squad volition instrumentality connected Argentina oregon Australia connected that broadside of the bracket. Can the US support this momentum going? Or volition the Dutch, led from midfield by the mercurial Frenkie De Jong, bring that imagination to an end?

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ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and ESPN Netherlands' Bob Ligthart interruption down Saturday's game.

What has worked for the US astatine this World Cup? And what hasn't?

If each squad successful the World Cup was judged based connected however they've played successful the archetypal fractional alone, the United States would beryllium considered 1 the champion teams successful the tournament.

On a per/first-half basis, it ranks No. 5 successful chances created (5.3), No. 10 successful xG (0.7) and No. 6 successful goals (0.7). Defensively, it hasn't conceded and allowed conscionable 1 first-half changeable connected goal. That's mostly a recognition to the tactics and squad enactment of Gregg Berhalter, but chiefly to the midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah and Weston McKennie, which has drawn praise from each corners of the world. The US has midfield has been astir intolerable to play done aboriginal successful games, adjacent nullifying England's Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount successful that 0-0 draw.

However, the US has been importantly worse aft halftime successful each game, too. Looking astatine the aforesaid stats arsenic supra for the 2nd halves, the US ranks No. 29 successful chances (2.3), No. 30 successful xG (0.2) and is 1 of conscionable 4 teams not to score. The driblet disconnected isn't arsenic steep defensively arsenic the lone extremity allowed came connected a penalty, but opposing teams person six second-half shots connected extremity and much than triple their xG.

Part of that is owed to crippled state. Against Wales and Iran, the US was protecting a pb successful the 2nd fractional and adopted a much antiaircraft attack -- particularly against Iran, erstwhile it went to five-in-the-back successful the 82nd infinitesimal (with 10 minutes of stoppage time). However, what was much wide during each crippled is that erstwhile McKennie and Musah began to tire, everything other suffered. And different than Walker Zimmerman's insertion against Iran -- helium entered the crippled successful the 82nd infinitesimal and was an assertive, ascendant unit successful the aerial -- not a azygous substitute made a tangible affirmative impact. -- Bonagura

What has worked for the Netherlands astatine this World Cup? And what hasn't?

If you're asking astir whether the Dutch are surviving up to expectations, the world is that they are under-performing. Their radical signifier matches (against Senegal, Ecuador and Qatar) were considered dull and much similar "walking football" -- the other of what they usually effort to amusement during the World Cups, wherever they purpose to play fun, attacking and enjoyable football.

The biggest spark of Dutch amusive and vigor came successful the signifier of Cody Gakpo. He was Louis van Gaal's superstar from the radical stage. The attacker, who has besides been utilized arsenic an attacking midfielder successful Qatar, scored successful each 3 radical matches, making him the 4th Dutchman successful past to people 3 games successful a enactment astatine the World Cup aft Johan Neeskens (1974), Dennis Bergkamp (1994) and Wesley Sneijder (2010).

Andries Noppert, Van Gaal's prime arsenic goalkeeper, has besides turned retired to beryllium a astute pick, with the Heerenveen keeper lone conceding 1 goal. At 6-foot-8, helium is the tallest subordinate astatine the World Cup and played his champion against their toughest opponents, Senegal. Yet this robust defence is besides down to who's playing successful beforehand of him: the center-back trio of Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Jurrien Timber (or Matthijs de Ligt) is coagulated and has not tally into galore problems.

The contented successful request of astir accommodation is the midfield, which has been Van Gaal's biggest headache successful Qatar: lone De Jong tin number connected a starting spot with certainty.

Van Gaal has besides been purposeful successful not rushing players into the team. Memphis Depay, for example, lone started successful the past radical lucifer due to the fact that helium brought a insignificant wounded with him into the World Cup. Lucky for him, and the Dutch fans, is that this squad feels acceptable and steadfast conscionable successful clip for the grueling knockout phase. -- Ligthart

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Christian Pulisic updates connected the presumption of his wellness up of the USMNT's circular of 16 clash with the Netherlands.

Where volition the crippled beryllium won and lost?

It's just to accidental that neither broadside has been capable to consistently make bully scoring chances. The main quality is that the Dutch person Gakpo and the US doesn't person anyone, really, who has shown -- and not conscionable astatine this World Cup, but going backmost months -- an quality to consistently decorativeness hard chances. So, not overmuch should alteration for the US erstwhile it comes to their antiaircraft attack (zero goals allowed from unfastened play!) but they bash request to wage peculiar attraction to the PSV star.

I don't deliberation either squad is going to batter the opposing goal; rather, it volition travel down to which squad is capable to capitalize connected momentary breakdowns oregon which idiosyncratic player(s) tin make connected their own.

That tense, well-balanced dynamic is wherefore the "Case of the Missing Gio" is specified a talking point. Only Christian Pulisic -- who was past seen exiting the tract earlier a sojourn to the infirmary -- is successful Gio Reyna's people erstwhile it comes to being capable to crook thing into something.

It's hard to let for the anticipation that wounded isn't the crushed helium hasn't diagnostic much than the little cameo against England, but let's spell up and presume helium is available. Why not fto him play arsenic the No. 9? Josh Sargent enactment successful a workmanlike displacement against Iran trying to clasp the shot up, but Reyna tin bash that conscionable arsenic good -- if not amended -- and is much of a threat. Maybe his pressing isn't what Berhalter wants, but Haji Wright appeared mislaid erstwhile it came to that instruction, too. -- Bonagura

Both teams person coagulated defenses, truthful arsenic Kyle said, the question is who tin make those scoring chances. The Netherlands has already utilized astir of their squad astatine this World Cup, peculiarly successful midfield, albeit with respective variations depending connected the opponent. Van Gaal has tried an aggressive, attacking midfield and a much antiaircraft set-up. Against USA's closed defense, an violative cognition with creativity successful midfield could beryllium the cardinal to success.

Memphis Depay is acceptable again and is expected to commencement arsenic 1 of the 2 strikers. The question is whether Van Gaal chooses Steven Bergwijn arsenic a 2nd striker and uses Gakpo arsenic attacking midfielder, oregon uses Gakpo arsenic that 2nd striker conscionable similar helium did against Qatar. If Van Gaal takes the second approach, Steven Berghuis and Davy Klaassen could supply an violative impulse successful midfield, leaving De Jong escaped to make and prime his passes.

The fittingness of the teams is besides an important factor. Van Gaal indicated antecedently that his squad is acceptable conscionable successful clip for the knockout phase, having been capable to remainder immoderate cardinal players against Qatar. Meanwhile, the US are coming disconnected a grueling crippled against Iran, successful which Pulisic hobbled disconnected with a "pelvic contusion" -- he's time to time successful presumption of being acceptable for Saturday -- and astir of US manager Gregg Berhalter's champion players enactment successful dense work.

The Netherlands indispensable woody with this smartly and fto the hostile tyre out; that way, they tin marque a quality aboriginal successful the crippled if needed. -- Ligthart

Predictions

US 1, Netherlands 1: US advances connected penalties. The Dutch person the amended endowment and the amended history, but astatine nary constituent successful the radical signifier did they look similar a squad gearing up for a heavy run. The US, though, is brimming with assurance and has a accidental to people an all-time celebrated win. -- Bonagura

US 0, Netherlands 2. I deliberation the Netherlands volition triumph the lucifer 2-0. Van Gaal's squad has played not large truthful far, but gave small distant too. Gakpo is flying and Memphis is backmost conscionable successful clip for the concern extremity of the tournament. This squad is rested and ready. -- Ligthart