The Netherlands and the USA will lock horns in the first World Cup 2022 last-16 battle at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Louis van Gaal's side confirmed a first-placed finish in Group A with a 2-0 win over eliminated hosts Qatar, who succumbed to strikes from Cody Gakpo and Frenkie de Jong.

Oranje took seven points from their three Group A matches to set up a tie with the USA, who placed second in Group B, and Van Gaal's men will enter the contest as firm favourites to advance to the quarter-finals.

Here, Sports Mole picks out three reasons for the Netherlands to be confident of beating the USA at the Khalifa International Stadium.

Red-hot Gakpo

Despite being just 23 years old, PSV Eindhoven starlet Gakpo has already cemented his place among an elite crowd of Dutch players after scoring for the third World Cup game in a row against Qatar.

Amid links with a January move to Manchester United, Gakpo has found the back of the net against Senegal, Ecuador and now Qatar, whose defenders could do nothing to prevent the attacker from finishing clinically into the bottom corner last time out.

All eyes were on the in-demand Gakpo as he sought to replicate his club form on the international stage, and as much as Ruud van Nistelrooy would like to hang onto his star attacker, PSV's money men will be rubbing their hands with glee after every World Cup goal he scores.

No Dutchman has ever scored in his first four World Cup matches or in four successive World Cup games at all, so Gakpo could already write his name into the Oranje history books with another strike on Saturday, and one would not put it past him to do so during his current hot streak.

Serial winner Van Gaal

While he will often make headlines for his off-field quips, Louis Van Gaal's on-field achievements at the World Cup are there for all to see, and the Netherlands boss has always possessed a winning formula on the biggest international stage.

The 71-year-old returned for his third stint as Oranje manager after Euro 2020, having previously taken the reins in 2000 and 2012, and he is yet to suffer a World Cup defeat in normal time while in charge of the Netherlands.

Indeed, Oranje's only loss at the World Cup under Van Gaal so far came on penalties in the 2014 semi-finals, and they have claimed eight wins and a draw from their other nine World Cup matches with the former Barcelona and Manchester United boss in charge.

Furthermore, Van Gaal's side have kept three successive clean sheets in World Cup knockout games - only the famed Spain team of 2010 have ever kept four in a row - and possessing the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Jurrien Timber and 6'7" goalkeeper Andries Noppert is a surefire formula for success on the defensive front.

USA injury concerns

The Netherlands will expect to be working with a fully-fit squad for their encounter with the USA, who by contrast are faced with a number of selection concerns to key men such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Joshua Sargent.

Pulisic put his body on the line when scoring the winner against Iran in midweek, suffering a pelvic contusion in the process, and he was admitted to hospital to undergo scans on the problem while his nation held out for a last-16-clinching win.

Meanwhile, Juventus midfielder McKennie had to come off just after the hour mark as he deals with a quadriceps problem, while Norwich City striker Sargent sustained a knock to his ankle and was also withdrawn.

USA boss Gregg Berhalter is said to be optimistic that all three players will be fit and ready to go for the weekend, but it is hardly an ideal situation for the Stars and Stripes, especially with Pulisic and McKennie proving to be two of their top performers this winter.

Even if Pulisic, McKennie and Sargent are passed fit for the match, whether they can complete the full 90 minutes is another question entirely.

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