Stevens hungry to show her class
Thursday, September 3, 2009
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Netherlands striker Karin Stevens feels she deserved to be dropped for her team's final Group A outing but is determined to prove her worth when the Oranje take on France in the last eight.
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Netherlands striker Karin Stevens feels she deserved to be dropped for her team's final Group A encounter at UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ but is determined to demonstrate her worth and help the Oranje reach the semi-finals against France.
Denmark performance
The 20-year-old came to Finland having scored three goals in the Netherlands' 4-0 aggregate success against Spain in the play-offs, but after being substituted against Ukraine and Finland she was left on the bench for the crucial encounter with Denmark. With the match still goalless at half-time, however, she was brought on for the second period and played her part in the eventual 2-1 victory that secured Vera Pauw's side runners-up spot in the section. "Against Ukraine and Finland, Chantal [de Ridder] came on and did better than me," said Stevens. "It's important for the team that the one who's best is playing and Chantal was the best then. But I think I did well when I came on and I've trained hard, just like the others."
Powerful defence
Still playing for the boys' team at SC Jekerdal when she made her international debut in 2006, she also feels she has the physical power to punish Les Bleues. "They're a good team with lots of fine individual players," she said. "They're more interested in keeping possession than playing a physical style but their defence is physically strong. That's always a problem for forwards, although you can tell by looking at me that I have my own physical qualities to bring to bear."
Penalty doubt
Whether she also boasts the mental strength to make the difference if the game goes to the wire remains to be seen. The prospect of a penalty shoot-out to decide who progresses hangs over this and the other knockout games, and while Bruno Bini's France claim not to have practised spot-kicks at all, Stevens admitted she cannot predict how she will react if there is still no winner after extra time. "I've scored a few penalties but I'll have to see when there's a lot of pressure whether I can still do it," she said.
