Dutch preparations continue with Australia win
Saturday, June 29, 2013
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Netherlands 3-1 Australia
A Lieke Martens double and a late Sherida Spitse strike ensured that the UEFA Women's EURO 2013 hopefuls came out on top.
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The Netherlands continued their UEFA Women's EURO 2013 preparations with a 3-1 victory against Australia in Velsen.
Roger Reijners' side, whose final warm-up game is against Northern Ireland on Wednesday, opened the scoring through Lieke Martens in the 12th minute. Australia equalised through Katrina Gorry before the break but Martens and a late Sherida Spitse strike secured victory for the hosts.
Looking to impress their coach ahead of his finals squad announcement on Sunday, the Netherlands were keen to make a fast start, but it was the visitors who piled on the early pressure. However, against the run of play, the Oranje forged ahead. Manon Melis surged into the penalty area and found Martens unmarked, allowing her colleague to register with a clinical finish.
Australia would not lie down, though, and grabbed the equaliser their play warranted when Oranje No1 Sari van Veenendaal failed to comprehensively clear a free-kick and Gorry slotted in from outside the box.
Martens proved to be a thorn in the side of the Australia defence and the FCR 2001 Duisburg winger grabbed her second on the hour with a neat turn and finish after collecting Spitse's pass. The hosts endured a few nervy moments until Spitse's drive from 20 metres put the result beyond doubt with just minutes remaining.
Reijners' charges start their Group B campaign against Germany on 11 July before facing Norway and Iceland.