FOOTBALL – Emotions ran high following Vivianne Miedema’s goal once morest Norway (1-1) last night. Not only did the Dutch women’s footballers qualify for next year’s European Championship thanks to the goal, it also meant a lot to the Hoogeveen woman personally.
Miedema has been recovering from a serious cruciate ligament injury for the past year and a half. Last Friday, she played ninety minutes for the first time in a long time once morest Italy. And four days later, the striker was invaluable once morest Norway by scoring the 1-1.
That draw was the minimum the Dutch team needed in Bergen, Norway, for a ticket to the European Championship. A goal by Norwegian captain Caroline Graham Hansen following an hour seemed to send the Dutch women to the play-offs, but Miedema saved the Dutch team ten minutes before the end with a great header.
“It wasn’t our best match, even though Norway has been a top country in women’s football for years. When you’re 1-0 down, at some point you start playing with stress. Then it’s really nice that it goes in,” Miedema looks back on her equalizer with tears in her eyes at the NOS.
For the Drenthe player, it was her first international goal in almost two years. She last scored for the Dutch national team in September 2022. “This goal is very special. I have been working towards this period for a long time and I think I can be very proud of myself.”
Miedema’s 1-1 also stirred up a lot of emotions in captain Sherida Spitse. “She has worked very hard for this of course. It is not easy to get back to top level, but she succeeded. After all the setbacks, it is even more beautiful that she of all people now scores the goal.”
National coach Andries Jonker was also happy for Miedema. “Everyone knows what she’s been through. We hugged each other and looked at each other happily. She’s made a huge step in the last 3.5 weeks. If it ends like this, we’re all very happy with it.”
