Leek Martens marks the return of orange for women. According to national coach Andries Jonger, the left winger is fit enough to play after a knee injury. Esmee Brugts was not selected for the tournament due to injury.
Martens, 29, announced knee problems at Zeist last week and therefore missed Friday’s friendly against Costa Rica, which the Netherlands won 4-0. The medical staff prepared Limburger for the fight with Denmark. She was on the training ground for the first time on Saturday.
Jonker is yet to decide whether Martens will start against Denmark at the base or appear as a substitute. Left knee depends on any reaction to Monday’s practice. “But the league doesn’t have ninety minutes,” Jonker said during a digital press moment on Monday.
Martens will typically play for the Orange for the first time in four months. The 139-time international played his last game for the Dutch national team on July 17. It was in the European Championship against Switzerland (4-1 win).
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The Paris Saint-Germain forward suffered a leg injury in that group match and was later forced to withdraw from the match. The Netherlands then lost to France (0-1) in the quarter-finals.
The injury forced Martens to miss a crucial World Cup qualifier against Iceland in September. He retired from Jonker last month. Meanwhile, nineteen-year-old Brooks made a good impression as Martens’ replacement.
Fructs missing due to injury
Brooks was missing from the Orange squad for the game against Denmark. The attacker was injured in the game against Costa Rica and did not recover in time. According to Jonger, it’s not a major injury.
Jonker had already given keeper Daphne van Domselaar and attacker Lynette Bierenstein a digital press moment during the start in the basement. Van Domselaar, who was released at the last European Championship, was executed on Friday in favor of Ajax keeper Lies Kopp. Cobb was allowed to prove himself in that tournament.
The Orange Women will close the calendar year with a friendly against Denmark on Tuesday. The fight in Zwolle starts at 8. Denmark, star player there Harder in Bern was missing due to injury. Like the Netherlands, they have qualified for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
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