2010 World Cup semi-final: Uruguay v Netherlands full time report
Uruguay 2 Netherlands 3
The Netherlands have qualified for their first World Cup final in 32 years after two quickfire second half goals saw off Uruguay in Cape Town.
Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave his side the lead with a spectacular 40 yard strike after just 18 minutes of the contest, but Uruguayan skipper Diego Forlán replied with a swerving long range effort that beat Maarten Stekelenburg.
The South Americans were marginally on top for the majority of the second period, but two Dutch goals in three minutes confirmed their presence in Sunday’s final, as first Wesley Sneijder saw a deflected effort find its way into the bottom corner as Uruguay appealed for an offside against Robin van Persie, before Arjen Robben superbly headed in Dirk Kuyt’s left wing cross.
Maxi Pereira pulled a goal back for the Uruguayans following a well worked free kick in stoppage time, but the Netherlands were to hold on, sparking delirious Dutch delight at full time.
A feisty clash never looked like producing five goals, but the Dutch were ultimately deserving of their victory.
Uruguayan coach Óscar Tabarez had spoken of a plan to deal with Robben before the match, but it didn’t seem to be working early on, as a dangerous dash down the right from the Bayern Munich man resulted in a cross that goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was unable to deal with, and Kuyt smashed the resultant chance over the crossbar.
The roles were quickly reversed, and some determined wing play down the left from Kuyt ended in a cross that was just too high for Robben, before Sneijder’s effort was blocked by team-mate van Persie, but van Bronckhorst’s magical moment was just around the corner.
Collecting a pass from Demy de Zeeuw wide on the left hand side, the 35-year-old Dutch captain – who will retire after the tournament – struck a staggering 40-yard, left-footed effort that arrowed into the top corner of Muslera’s net via the post, with the Uruguayan goalkeeper getting a slight fingertip to it, but to no avail. It was magnificent.
Less magnificent was an incident soon after that saw Dutch midfielder de Zeeuw accidentally kicked in the face by Uruguay right back Martin Cáceres, who was booked along with Sneijder during the ugly spat that followed, before Cáceres was back doing what he does best, making an excellent last gasp challenge to deny Robben.
Uruguay were coming into it though, and Edinson Cavani should have done better when presented with a chance to cross, before Álvaro Pereira shot straight at Stekelenburg and Forlán headed over.
He was just warming up though, and after collecting the ball 35 yards out, Forlán took the ball onto his left foot and created space for himself before striking a swerving shot that wrong-footed Stekelenburg before finding its way high into the net via the goalkeeper’s hand.
It was a deserved equaliser for the Uruguayans, who went into the break level, where the dazed de Zeeuw was replaced by Rafael van der Vaart for the Netherlands.
The Dutch defence was in trouble at the beginning of the second period, and a poor backpass from Khalid Boularouz almost allowed Cavani in but for quick work from Stekelenburg, before Pereira’s lob over the now stranded goalkeeper was cleared off the line by van Bronckhorst.
The half started with both sides looking to attack, but they were beginning to cancel each other out, and the Dutch were looking nervous.
They were even more apprehensive when Forlán lined up a free kick around 25 yards out, but Stekelenburg saved well to his right before, at the other end, Muslera saved superbly from van der Vaart’s powerful left footed strike and Robben blazed the rebound over when he should have done better.
Dutch delight was just around the corner though, and after a spell of concerted pressure, the Netherlands scored twice inside three minutes.
First, Sneijder’s deflected left foot shot found its way towards the left corner past a marginally offside van Persie – who was considered inactive by the officials despite vehement Uruguayan protests – before Robben headed in Kuyt’s superb left wing cross, doubling the advantage and all but sealing the Netherlands’ progression to their first final since 1978.
A limping Forlán was soon withdrawn by the Uruguayans, and Robben could have put the gloss on victory when played clean through by van Persie. He could only shoot straight at Muslera.
Hearts were aflutter in the Dutch camp in stoppage time though, after an excellent finish from right back Pereira following a free kick prompted some desperate defending, and a vital block from Kuyt stopped a Mauricio Victorino effort, before the final whistle prompted Dutch joy.
They’ll head to the final in Johannesburg’s Soccer City on Sunday night and, despite never truly convincing many of their critics during the tournament, a first World Cup trophy remains a real possibility.
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