In a crucial match, players need to remain cool...
Of the two semi-finals on tap today and tomorrow, this encounter was seen by many as being the battle between the Christians. The winner would enter the arena in Johannesburg on Sunday to face whomever proved to be the fiercer of the pair of lions playing in Durban tomorrow, be that either Germany or Spain.
The Dutch, pointing to their federation’s crest, might feel they have reason to object to their place in the metaphor. Yet, despite a perfect run through their UEFA group stage and on into the competition in South Africa, they are not held in the same esteem as their two remaining European counterparts. Regard for Uruguay, the lone South American side still in the tournament, was close to non-existent thanks to the manner in which they progressed past Ghana and the lack of manners they showed afterward. To be proud and unapologetic of taking advantage of a loophole in the rules showed none of the sportsmanship which FIFA likes to claim is a cornerstone of the World Cup.
... but fans on both sides were wigging out.
Bert van Marwijk’s charges were heavily favoured in the build up. Not only had they beaten the number one qualifier from South America, Brazil, in their previous match, making the fifth best nation from that continent seem somewhat insignificant in comparison, but they were healthy again. Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong were unavailable, after each totted up their second yellow card, against Brazil, but Joris Mathisjen, much quicker than the aging Andre Ooijer, was back to solidify the central defence, while the depth of the Netherlands’bench meant that there were plug ‘n play replacements ready to stand in for the two suspended players.
How, on the other hand, do you replace the 49 club and 3 World Cup goals missing from the Uruguayan side with Luis Suarez sitting on his hands up in the cheap seats? For that matter, there were the absences, through injury, of captain and defensive anchor, Diego Lugano, and the young firebrand in midfield, Nicolas Lodeiro, as well as the suspended left back, Jorge Fucile. When you are the second smallest nation in the competition, population 3 million, you just don’t have as many alternatives.
It was expected that Uruguayan manager, Oscar Tabarez, would park seven men behind the ball, much as he did against France in their first match, and rely on Diego Forlan to provide some magic on the counter or from a dead ball situation. Nil-nil for 120 minutes and penalty kicks would suit la Celeste just fine.
In the early going, the Dutch looked for cracks in the Uruguayan wall and found one or two evident. Dirk Kuyt fired over the goal after getting on the end of a perfect Wesley Sneijder cross and then fed a tasty offering into the box himself, a few minutes later, only to see Arjen Robben softly lob it for Fernando Muslera to gobble up.
After the opening barrage from l’Oranje, the Uruguayans settled and began to ask questions of their own. Forlan and Edinson Cavani looked to hook up on two occasions but the linesman raised his flag offsides for each. Replays showed that one definitely, if not both, were poor decisions.
Defensively, however, the South Americans were giving their opponents headaches all over the pitch. The Dutch were not being given time on the ball and, as a result, their passing was extremely erratic.
The captain saved his best for last.
Then, the Uruguayans efforts to deny the box to the skillful Europeans blew up in their faces. A weak clearance found its way out to Giovanni van Brunckhorst, thirty-five metres from goal on the left flank. With no blue shirt in closing range, he was free to step into his shot with all the power he could muster. The ball flew off his foot, low and hard, past the outstretched hand of Muslera, bouncing tightly into the goal off both the upright and the bar.
It was definitely one of the most well taken strikes in the tournament, thus far. For the Dutch captain, it was just his sixth goal in, possibly, the final of his one hundred and five appearances for his country.
As they say, the best laid plans… The early deficit would force Uruguay to press matters at the other end.
Like the fella once said, "Ain't that a kick in the head?"
The Netherlands did their best to keep the tetchy Uruguayans at bay and tensions came to a head quickly. Just before the half hour mark, Martin Caceres attempted a bicycle kick outside the Dutch box. Unfortunately, Demy deZeuww was also on hand, looking to head the ball clear. Caceres’boot caught the flying Dutchman full in the face and earned the offender a yellow card. Another was also handed out to an enraged Wesley Sneijder, who, in retaliation, angrily shoved Caceres to the ground.
In the aftermath, the midfield was contested hotly by both sides and the pace of the match became ragged at best. Play in the box was further hampered by two or three more very tight offside calls.
With just under 5 minutes remaining in the half, the Uruguayans pegged the Dutch back with a strike from who else but Diego Forlan. The Atletico Madrid striker created some space for himself, selling a wide dummy to his marker and cutting inside. His slightly swerving shot fooled Maarten Stekelenberg enough that all he could do was palm it into the roof of the goal.
Never give this man time and space.
The commentators and analysts at the half all thought the keeper should have done better with it. I’m of the opinion they should be a little more forgiving. While there wasn’t that much movement on the Jabulani, Forlan had been going to his left and some how managed to place his shot, against the grain, through a small opening between the heads of two defenders. With his support crowding the middle, Stekelenberg was naturally moving to cover a wider shot. Forlan’s somewhat fortunate aim not only caught the keeper by surprise but his successful use of the involuntary screen gave the Dutch backstop less time to react.
The determination and luck of the South Americans was still in force and at halftime it was all square at one goal apiece. Unexpectedly, it was Bert van Marwijck who felt obligated to make an adjustment during the intermission, bringing on Rafael van der Vaart for the slightly addled deZeuww.
Tactically, it was a sound change. The Uruguayan midfield was filled with holding players and lacked any real creativity. By combining the Real Madrid man’s artistry with that of Kuyt, Sneijder, Robben and van Persie, the Netherlands hoped to force the compacted sky blue wall to spread itself a little thinner.
The restart began much as the match had. The Netherlands had the better of the possession but couldn’t get near goal. Then after a failed counterattack, Dutch right back, Khalid Boulharouz, replacing van der Wiel for the day, was slow to react to a ball over his head. Stekelenberg was forced to come out and desperately clear. His effort went to Alvaro Pereira and, reminiscent of David Villa’s first goal against Chile, he drilled it goalward with the keeper too far from home to get safely back. Giovanni van Brunckhorst was there to hold the fort, however, thus providing his side with a two goal cushion, first scoring at one end and then saving a second at the other.
That moment of high drama was followed by a handful of wasted chances in front of both goals before the match again settled into a midfield slugfest. Finally, in the seventieth minute, the stars aligned and the Dutch quality would at last come to the fore, while luck finally deserted the Uruguayans.
The Dutch nickel and dime the Uruguayans
Having set up a siege of the South American box, l’Oranje were moving the ball back and forth between their creative players, when it settled for Sneijder, slightly to the left of center, to attempt a shot. It pinballed off the legs of one defender and the boot of another before skipping towards the far corner. A slightly off side Robin van Persie jumped to avoid contact with the ball. No defender clatteered into him vainly trying to reach it. Muslera, on his line was not screened but may have hesitated in his reaction, thinking the Arsenal man might play the ball. The flag stayed down, though, and the ball found its target. It was Sneijder’s fifth goal of the tournament, drawing him even with Spain’s David Villa.
My first impression was that van Persie was offside and the replay showed that he was. The assertion, by the commentators, that he was in the line of sight of the keeper was inaccurate. Nor, as I said, did he appear to be impeding any defenders. Furthermore, without a visible reaction from the keeper it is completely up to the interpretation of the official as to whether he was interfering in play. Obviously, they did not. Perhaps, at the break, they had been informed that they had been a bit quick on the trigger in the first half, and therefore had become more reluctant. Who can say? Whatever influenced their ruling, it was two-one to the Netherlands.
For the most part, Robben used his head and stayed on his feet.
The stunning turnaround in fortunes buoyed the Dutch spirit and seemed to daze the Uruguayans, leaving them, for the moment, more cautious. Having more time on the ball, the skilled orange attack made excellent use of it. Dirk Kuyt, operating on the left, recovered a rejected effort into the box and sent back a much better cross. The vertically challenged Arjen Robben found some space and leapt to head it into the side netting. In the space of three minutes, the deadlock had been broken and the Netherlands were seemingly in complete control of the match.
Ten minutes later, Diego Forlan came off for the little used Sebastien Fernandez. Even down two goals, it was difficult to believe the talisman would want to leave the pitch or that his proud manager would concede the match with time on the clock. Sure enough, after the match, Tabarez claimed he had no choice. Forlan had actually begun the tilt with an aggravated thigh muscle, that had become too sore for him to continue.
Diego Forlan alone wasn't enough for Uruguay
Uruguay pressed on but were unable to get even a sniff at goal in regulation. On ninety minutes, that would change. Young Eljero Elia would come on to allow Robben to take a bow. The youngster quickly got himself into trouble over-pursuing Maxi Pereira to the outside. The midfielder took advantage of the newcomer’s naivete and cut back inside to curl a shot past Stekelenberg. The ball first past within reach of three Dutch defenders, all of whom inexplicably let it through.
With just a minute or two of stoppage time remaining, Uruguay had been given a lifeline. Surging forward desperately, they threw everything they had left at the Dutch goal. A reawakened defense, though, did everything they had to in order to clear ball after ball, until the referee at last blew the final whistle.
In the end, it was a bad hair day for Uruguay.
.
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An undermanned Uruguay side had certainly given the Netherlands all they could handle. Obviously outclassed, they fought doggedly and admirably to the end. Given their previous encounter with Ghana, many may feel they deserved to fall victim to a disputed goal but, in the interests of the game, no one does. On this night, despite a minor skirmish at the whistle, Tabarez and his players were as gracious in defeat as they were incorrigible in victory. They had no complaints, taking the van Persie decision as the price of doing business and gracefully acknowledging the class of the Dutch side.
And so, the Christians have crossed swords and a victor has emerged. Tomorrow, Germany and Spain will fight it out, tooth and claw, for a chance to feast on Sunday in Johannesburg. See you in twenty four hours!
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