Historic qualification for Dutch women's team

Friday 31 October 2008

The Dutch women's team have managed a historic feat by qualifying for the European Championships - in Finland next summer - for the first time ever.

It's actually the first time the Dutch women have qualified for any finals.

The team of coach Vera Pauw beat Spain 2-0 in Volendam in the second leg of a decider.

They had beat the Spanish women in Spain with the same figures.

Karin Stevens scored both goals on either side of the break.

The qualification is a big achievement for coach Pauw, especially in a country where women's football comes long after men's football in popularity.

But Pauw did not want to cherish the moment too long: "When we are at the finals w must survive at least one round."

The coach said that her team had taken great inspiration from the Dutch female water polo team at the last Olympics.

That team took the gold after they had gone into the tournament as not even an outsider.

"The water polo team performed against all currents. Just like we did. We perhaps even faced more resistance."

In a way that's true, as in most countries women's football is a professional sport, and most opponents train every day without having to bother with work.

In Holland that has only been the case recently for a limited amount of players.

"But we still can not compare it to the men," Pauw said.

But the qualification is a mile stone for Dutch football, one that stems from that other mile stone: the founding of the Women's Eredivisie, last year.

Pauw: "That has certainly contributed as the players can now be occupied with their sport everyday. Hopefully we shall see that during the finals."

Also read: Pauw proud of Netherlands feat