2010 World Cup – Netherlands beat Brazil 2-1
Netherlands headed into the semi finals of world cup 2010, Wesley Sniejder used his head to score the winner and send the down-to-10 men Brazil out of the world cup by 2-1.
It sure was a match of 2 halves; Brazil running all over Netherlands in the first and getting a 1-0 lead at the half, but Netherlands came out in the 2nd half with new vigour and a whole new game plan, emerging victorious.
It can be said that all 3 goals in the match came as a result of 3 mistakes. It was a sluggish Netherlands defence that played Robinho on for the first goal, while an own goal from Felipe Melo got Netherlands level, and the 3rd well even though it was a clinical header by Sneijder but where was the defence.
The 3rd quarter final at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium saw as expected a fiercely contested affair between 2 formidable teams.
Netherlands dominated the early possession in the first half, but with no final move to compliment that. Brazil though was on the attack as soon as they got hold of the ball. Netherlands’ defence was very lethargic in the initial stages that also cost them a goal. With just minutes after a goal was disallowed for offside Netherlands should have been more careful. But instead they continued to fall back and as a result Melo played an inch perfect through ball to Robinho who side footed it without much fuss.
Since then Brazil got hold of the match and kept pressing the Dutch further back, Netherlands had their share of chances but were limited to far range efforts and not a single decisive ball was played in the final 3rd. The break could not have come at better time for them.
The first half ended 1-0 to Brazil, but the 2nd half was a whole different story. The Dutch coach certainly had some new plans waiting for his team as soon as they got to the locker rooms.
Netherlands came out and played a more attacking game, Robben started going much wider than he did in the first half, while Van Bommel decided to take hold of the midfield and did continued to thread through passes from the centre to front men and wingers on either side.
But the man giving most problems was certainly Sneijder. In the 53rd minute Wesley Sneijder curled over a left-footed cross from the Dutch right and Cesar, usually so reliable, came for it, got nothing on it and it clipped the top of Felipe Melo's head before creeping into the corner.
It certainly was game on for Netherlands from then, just as Brazil did in the first half Netherlands started growing in confidence after the goal, and there was wave after wave of Orange attack coming towards Brazil.
Constant pressure eventually paid off, not from open play though but from a set piece, Arjen Robben curled over a corner from the right, Dirk Kuyt flicked on at the near post and there was Wesley Sneijder to head into the corner.
It was unbelievable Brazil going behind in a world cup match after scoring first, how often does that happen , not much actually and Netherlands celebrated as if they had already won the match.
The match had turned upside down for Felipe Melo, he was applauded for making the inch perfect pass to Robinho for the first goal, but later he headed in the own goal to level the match. On the 73 minute mark Brazil's task just got an awful lot harder. Felipe Melo tried to tackle Arjen Robben and when the Dutch winger went to ground, Melo seemed to stamp on him. Yuichi Nishimura immediately got his red card out and sent Melo to the locker rooms.
Brazil though did not give up and kept pressing, and did come close a few times, but in truth Netherlands should have sealed the match when at least 3 times they had a chance to get a 3rd goal.
In the end Netherlands managed to hang on and sent the 5 time world champions packing. A shocking result; in general they would say yes but many believed before the game that Dutch had enough in them to go past the samba boys.
Netherlands who have lost in the world cup final twice, and will be looking to finally get their name on the trophy and looking at their young squad they have every chance of doing so.
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