Netherlands South Africa Odds
| Netherlands Odds | -600 |
| South Africa Odds | +1200 |
| Draw | +750 |
| Over/Under | 3.5 (-120 / -120) |
| Both Teams to Score (Yes/No) | (+100 / -138) |
| Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute World Cup odds here. | |
Netherlands enter the knockout stage as one of the top teams in the tournament having just come off of a 7-0 win over Vietnam.
South Africa, meanwhile, battled in each of their group stage games and are coming off of having won their first-ever World Cup game against Italy.
Read on for my pick in the Netherlands vs South Africa round of 16 game.
Netherlands Cruising Thus Far
Netherlands are led by Jill Roord, who has three goals in three games, and they are coming off of a confidence-boosting 7-0 win over Vietnam – the tournament’s largest win so far. Winners of one of the toughest groups in the World Cup, they’ve proven that they’re among this year’s contenders to win the tournament.
Roord and Esme Brugts both had braces in that 7-0 win, while Lieke Martens, Katja Snoeijs and Danielle van de Donk all found the back of the net. It’s the right time for the Netherlands’ top scorers to find their groove, as they now enter do-or-die time at this World Cup.
Even more scary for South Africa is that striker Lineth Beerensteyn, who missed the last two matches with an injury, is set to make her return.
Not to mention, Netherlands’ defense has conceded just one goal so far in this tournament, with Sherida Spitse, Stephanie van der Gragt and Dominique Janssen anchoring the team’s back line.
"From the beginning of our preparations we were quite convinced we can beat every opponent in this tournament," said head coach Andries Jonker. "A year ago we saw all sorts of teams in Europe who were better than us, but we managed to close the gap. So I think we can rightfully state that we will be able to win against anybody, but we have to make it happen."
South Africa Looking to Make Even More History
For the first time in their history, South Africa are playing in the round of 16 at the Women’s World Cup. They’re one of just many teams making history in this tournament, which has benefited from having 32 teams for the first time.
Hildah Magaia has been exceptional for South Africa, scoring twice and providing the game-winner against Italy. Thembi Kgatlana has also battled and showcased her strengths, even despite losing three family members during this World Cup.
“This is for everyone [in South Africa],” coach Desiree Ellis said after the team’s win over Italy. "This is for all the coaches in the league who have played their part, all the coaches and players that have come before, everybody involved in women's football."
South Africa stood up against Sweden, another World Cup favorite, and took an early lead before losing it late in the game. They did the same against Argentina, going up 2-0 before settling for a draw, and finally got their first-ever World Cup win against Italy. Entering their round of 16 game with a win under their belt is a positive, but might not be enough for them to overcome Netherlands.
Netherlands vs South Africa Pick
While Netherlands are the clear favorites for this match, this year’s World Cup has proven that sometimes we should expect the unexpected. South Africa won’t be beaten as badly as Vietnam were by Netherlands, but I still expect the Dutch to have too much class.
South Africa will have their work cut out for them, and while I also expect them to rise and meet the challenge to some extent, they will likely be overwhelmed. Perhaps they can eke out a win – if they can manage to sustain their pace of play for the full length of the game. Despite their win over Italy, they’ve yet to prove they can do that.
I back Netherlands in this one.
The Pick: Netherlands 4 – South Africa 2
