Beerensteyn and Martens help Orange to big win over Poland, debut for 17-year-old Kaptein | dutch football

Andries Jonker has been talking about it for some time now: the time of experimentation with the Orange Lionesses was last year, no more. In February, he camped in Malta with his selection and in recent days he has trained against Germany (0-1) and tonight Poland.

Jonker didn’t deviate from the game against Germany in his line-up against number thirty in the FIFA World Rankings, except he got Esmee Brugts back into shape and fielded the 19-year-old talent as an outside player at left in a 3-5-2 -formation. It was at the expense of Kerstin Casparij. In Malta, Jonker also played in almost the same formation twice, then in 4-3-3, with Fenna Kalma as striker in one game and Lineth Beerensteyn in the other.

The latter was cleared to start tonight after missing imposed chances against Germany on Friday. She rewarded that confidence by heading out, 2-1, after a cross from Lieke Martens had already entered via a Polish back before half-time. Fifteen minutes before the end, Beerensteyn also provided an assist for Martens for the 3-1.

In the absence of injured top scorer Vivianne Miedema, Beerensteyn will soon have a good chance for a base spot in New Zealand and Australia. In fact, many of the starting players Jonker wants to stunt with at the World Cup can already be replaced, regardless of injuries or other circumstances.

Daphne van Domselaar is the first goalkeeper and it is clear that Stefanie van der Gragt and Dominique Janssen form the axis for her. Daniëlle van de Donk and Lieke Martens were also (logically) drafted in the last four exhibition games. Jill Roord (4-1 against Poland) and Jackie Groenen have both missed two of the last four international matches through injury but are normally certainties.

More striking are the names of Damaris Egurrola, Victoria Pelova and Esmee Brugts, until recently not regular Orange Women baseliners. Egurrola and Pelova have started in the base in the last four games. Pelova seems to have penetrated the core of this Orange, after years on the background. And PSV striker Brugts looks set to prepare for a basic left-wing spot, as a defender (winger).

Casparij and record-breaking international Sherida Spitse will still be hopeful of making their way between the two. Defensively, only Janssen and Van der Gragt seem assured of a place. Casparij can play at right and left-back and Spitse can also play at full-back alongside Janssen and Van der Gragt. She is also important with her kick and her leadership, but in midfield she seems to have lost the battle.

Of course, a hundred days is still a long time. Situations can change, players can get injured, lose their form or be in great shape. The thing is, if you are now predicting a line-up for the World Cup opener against Portugal on July 23, you can never go wrong. On July 2, the Orange Women train one last time against Belgium in Kerkrade before heading back to Sydney as their last stopover before entering base camp in New Zealand. A lot of players will live there peacefully, knowing that their World Cup papers are in order.