MIAMI, Florida – The United States are flying high at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and will look to continue their tournament in the first match of the Knockout Stage in the Round of 16, as they take on the Netherlands on Saturday night at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

The U.S. are fresh off their dramatic 1-0 victory over Iran in their group stage finale to claim the Second-Place position in the group with five points and a place in the second round.

In their last three Senior Men’s World Cup appearances – 2010, 2014 and 2022 – the U.S. have advanced out of the group stage in each instance.

There were many standout figures for the U.S. in the win versus Iran, beginning with Christian Pulisic, who scored the game-winning goal. Pulisic also served up the assist on Timothy Weah’s goal in the opening 1-1 draw with Wales, giving Pulisic a goal and an assist at Qatar 2022.

Other standout performers include Tyler Adams, who has proven to be a tireless force in midfield for the North Americans, while the likes of center back Tim Ream and GK Matt Turner have been impeccable for the U.S. in the back, holding opponents in check in conceding just one goal in three games.

The Netherlands emerged as the winners of Group A with a 2W-1D-0L record, defeating Senegal 2-0, drawing Ecuador 1-1 and then topping hosts Qatar 2-0.

Concacaf opponents are well familiar in facing the Dutch in World Cups. At Brazil 2014, Mexico narrowly fell to the Netherlands 2-1 in the Round of 16 and then a round later in the quarterfinals, Costa Rica were eliminated in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw.

It will be the first-ever Senior Men’s World Cup meeting between the two nations, with all five previous matches coming in international friendlies. Their last contest was June 2015 when the U.S. earned their lone victory against the Dutch in a 4-3 final in Amsterdam.

Match Officials  

USA vs Netherlands

The Netherlands take on USA in the first of the eight round-of-16 matches at the FIFA World Cup 2022™. This is the nations’ first competitive international, though they have met five times previously in friendlies, the Netherlands winning the first four and USA winning the most recent, 4-3 in Amsterdam in June 2015.

The Netherlands’ record in the round of 16 is W4 L2, with victories in the last two fixtures, both 2-1, against Slovakia in 2010 and Mexico in 2014.

The USA are appearing in the FIFA World Cup™ round of 16 for the fifth time. They have won only once at this stage, in 2002, when they overcame Mexico 2-0, and have lost both knockout fixtures against European opponents.

Key facts

  • The Netherlands have not lost in their last ten FIFA World Cup matches (W7 D3). This is their longest unbeaten run in the history of the competition.

  • The Netherlands have faced Concacaf nations in two FIFA World Cup knockout ties, both in 2014, when they defeated Mexico 2-1 in the round of 16 and eliminated Costa Rica 4-3 on penalties in the quarter-finals following a 0-0 draw.

  • Cody Gapko could become the first player to score in four successive FIFA World Cup matches for the country with a goal in this game.

  • The USA have drawn six of their last eight World Cup group matches against European opposition.

  • The USA have kept a clean sheet in two successive World Cup matches for the first time since their first two games in the first-ever World Cup final competition in 1930.