Euro 2022: Netherlands star takes brutal kick to face during brave headed goal | OneFootball

Stefanie van der Gragt well and truly took one for the team during her latest Euro 2022 appearance for the Netherlands.

The Dutch defender contributed to her side’s 3-2 win over Portugal on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t without consequence.

Less than ten minutes into the match, the reigning champions were 1-0 up and van der Gragt wasted no time in adding to her side’s goal tally.

The 29-year-old was able to double the Netherlands’ lead following a set piece opportunity. Sherida Spitse swung in the cross from a corner and the ball bounced around the goal mouth as Portugal struggled to clear their lines.

As it entered the box again, van der Gragt lunged to get on the end of the lofted pass and suffered a brutal kick to the face for her troubles.

The ball passed Ines Pereira in goal but the Ajax star was left floored and in visible pain after defender Catarina Amado made contact while trying to clear the chance.

Fortunately, despite taking the massive impact, van der Gragt was able to continue playing and helped her team see out the thrilling 3-2 win.

Portugal had grabbed two goals back to force the score equal again, but a rocket of a strike from Danielle van de Donk sealed the three points for the defending champions.

Van der Gragt heroics

Van der Gragt’s bravery didn’t go unnoticed as the Netherlands celebrated an important group stage win.

Plenty of fans on social media posted about her heroic header and praised her for “putting it on the line” in order to give her all to the performance.

“Even [a] foot in the face can’t stop Stefanie van der Gragt from scoring,” one user tweeted, alongside a photo of the gruesome coming together between van der Gragt and Amado.

Women’s football journalist Tim Stillman responded to a tweet with a tongue-in-cheek comment about van der Gragt’s accident.

“I don’t think van der Gragt will be smelling anything for a few days…” he wrote.

The Netherlands’ win over Portugal comes after Vivianne Miedema tested positive for Covid-19. Even with the absence of their star striker, they were able to come up with an important win which sees them leapfrog Sweden into the top spot of Group C on goal difference.