Shoulder injury benches Oranje Lionesses keeper for European championship

Goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal won’t be able to play further in the European football championship for women. Van Veenendaal suffered a shoulder injury during Saturday’s opening match against Sweden. Further examination showed that she was too injured to continue playing in this European Championship.

“It is terrible news. Of course, first of all for Sari, but also for our entire team. Sari is much more than a player on our team. She is our captain and a very important leader. We will miss her enormously,” said national coach Mark Parsons.

Van Veenendaal got hurt on Saturday when she collided with defenders Stefanie van der Gragt and Lynn Wilms during a high ball. The keeper, named the best goalkeeper in the world in 2019, tried to play on but had to be replaced by Daphne van Domselaar halfway through the first half.

The goalkeeper returns to the Netherlands on Monday. Coach Parsons called up Jacintha Weimar as her replacement. Weimar, the goalkeeper at Feyenoord, was already on the standby list. European football association UEFA’s regulations prescribe that goalkeepers, unlike field players, may be replaced during the tournament in the event of a demonstrable injury.

Aniek Nouwen also got hurt on Saturday. She suffered an ankle injury in the final phase of the first half against Sweden. Unlike Van Veenendaal, she will remain in the selection while she works on her recovery. The expectation is that Nouwen won’t be fit for the match against Portugal on Wednesday. The same goes for Jackie Groenen, who is in isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus.”