2010 Fifa World Cup final: How the Netherlands got there
It’s a first World Cup final in 32 years for the Dutch, and they’ve made it to Johannesburg by winning every match they’ve played in South Africa.
While to many they haven’t looked overly convincing, you can’t argue with the results of Bert van Marwijk’s side. Six wins from six games, and here they are:
Group E: Netherlands 2 Denmark 0, June 14th, Johannesburg Soccer City
Two Liverpool players were on the scoresheet at Soccer City as the Dutch were given a helping hand at the start of their campaign. An uneventful first half gave way to a much livelier second, and Danish full-back Simon Poulsen was soon heading a Robin van Persie cross against the back of his unaware team-mate Daniel Agger, and the ball bounced into the corner of the net. Poulsen’s rather odd reaction was simply to laugh at the incident, but it was the Netherlands who were laughing last as, with five minutes remaining, substitute Eljero Elia’s effort came back off the post, and Dirk Kuyt was on hand to tap home the rebound.
Group E: Netherlands 1 Japan 0, June 19th, Durban
A stubborn Japanese side refused to give the Dutch anything in the first half, and it took the Netherlands until eight minutes into the second period to break their Asian opponents down. After the ball had ricocheted around the Japanese penalty area, it dropped to the one place that Takeshi Okada’s side didn’t want to go, and Wesley Sneijder lashed a swerving effort towards goal that deceived goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima – who got a hand to it – and found the corner of the net. It was the only goal of the game.
Group E: Cameroon 1 Netherlands 2, June 24th, Cape Town
The Dutch were already through, Cameroon were already out, and so it was never likely to be a classic in Cape Town, but Van Marwijk resisted the temptation to rotate his squad, and Van Persie latched onto a Rafael van der Vaart pass to put the Netherlands one up in the first half. Samuel Eto’o equalised from the penalty spot midway through the second period after Van der Vaart had handled a Geremi free-kick, before two substitutes combined for the Dutch winner as the returning Arjen Robben cut inside from the right flank and hit a left-footed effort from distance that rebounded off a post, only for Klaas Jan Huntelaar to fire home the rebound for the winner seven minutes from time.
Second round: Netherlands 2 Slovakia 1, June 28th, Durban
Robben was in from the start, and latched onto a superb Sneijder pass just 18 minutes in before cutting inside and hitting a trademark left foot shot into the bottom corner of Jan Mucha’s net. The goal didn’t provoke an improved Dutch performance though, and the Oranje continued to struggle against a rugged, determined Slovakia. They had to wait until six minutes from time for their second goal, as Kuyt latched onto a quickly taken free-kick, rounded the goalkeeper and squared for Sneijder to sidefoot home into an empty net. There was still time for Slovakia’s Robert Vittek to convert a consolation penalty with the last kick of the game, but it was to no avail.
Quarter-final: Netherlands 2 Brazil 1, July 2nd, Port Elizabeth
Without a doubt the Netherlands’ standout result of their campaign, as Brazil fell apart in Port Elizabeth. Some awful Dutch defending allowed an unmarked Robinho to latch onto Felipe Melo’s through ball and put the South Americans ahead after just 10 minutes, but missed opportunities in the remainder of the half would cost the Brazilians dear. Early in the second period, Sneijder swung over a dangerous cross that the Brazil defence failed to deal with, and a mix up between goalkeeper Júlio César and Melo saw the midfielder head the ball into his own net. Fifa would controversially award the goal to Sneijder, but there was no doubt that the second was his, as Robben’s corner was flicked on by Kuyt and headed in by the 5ft 7in Inter Milan midfielder. Melo would complete his odd day by being sent off for stamping on Robben, and the Dutch were in the semis.
Semi-final: Uruguay 2 Netherlands 3, July 6th, Cape Town
Two surprise semi-finalists, and a surprise opening in Cape Town as Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst smashed a stunning 40-yard effort into the top corner of the net just 18 minutes in. The goal didn’t settle the Netherlands down though, and Uruguayan skipper Diego Forlán capitalised with a swerving long-range effort that beat Dutch ‘keeper Maarten Stekelenburg, who would have felt that he could have done better. It was two goals in three minutes that would confirm the Netherlands’ progress though, and first, 20 minutes from time, Sneijder’s deflected effort somehow found a way into the bottom corner of the net, before Kuyt’s left wing cross was superbly headed in by Robben for 3-1. Uruguay right-back Maxi Pereira pulled one back in stoppage time, but the Dutch held on to reach their third World Cup final, and their first since back-to-back final defeats in 1974 and 1978. The task now is to ensure that this time it ends in victory.
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