FIFA World Cup 2010: Match Facts 28th and 29th June 2010
The Dutch take on the Slovakian’s today at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. The Dutch were previously knocked out at this stage of the tournament in the 2006 World Cup, when they were defeated by Portugal one nil. The Dutch have won three consecutive matches and the only time they won more games in a row was in the 1974 World Cup. That is when they won four matches in a row and went on to the finals. Robert Vittek had failed to register a single goal in nine qualification games but has now managed to score three in three games at the finals. Netherlands have not won two games in a row against the European opposition since 1974. The Dutch have won their last seven fixtures and are now unbeaten in twenty two games. This will be the first meeting between Netherlands and Slovakia. Huntelaar has now scored two goals in just three appearances for the international squad.
Brazil will be facing Chile today evening in the second match of the day. This will be the sixty sixth time these two teams will meet each other on an international stage. Chile have won only seven times in all those meetings while Brazil defeated Chile on their road to the finals in both the home and away leg. When playing against Chile, in the finals, Brazil scored four goals on both those occasions. Brazil have score twenty five goals in the last six meetings against Chile in all competitions and have now won in their group for the eighth consecutive time. Brazil have won their respective matches the last four times they were in the round of sixteen. And Chile have lost all three times they met the South American opposition. Two of these losses were against none other than the Brazilians themselves. It looks tough for the Chileans, but will be an interesting game to watch.
The following day Spain will take on Portugal in what is arguably going to be the best match this round. Portugal have managed to win only five times out of the previous thirty two times they have faced Spain. Portugal however won the last meeting between the two sides which was in the Euro 2004. Spain are the first team since the Hungary team of 1986 to not collect a single card during the group stages. David villa has now scored six goals in six starts for Spain and in their new leading goal scorer in the World Cup. Portugal did not concede a single goal during the group stages but two of those matches were nil all draws. Portugal have conceded only one goal in their last twelve international matches. If the Portuguese manage to win against the Spanish they will set a new record for their national team, going twenty games in a row without a loss.
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