FIFA World Cup 2010: Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2 to march into their 3rd World Cup Final
Netherlands marched into their 3rd World Cup final (after 1974 and ’78) after another fabulous display of Total Football with a 3-2 win against a resolute Uruguay team. The South Americans gave a good account of themselves in the semifinal, but the Dutch brigade was too much to take for the two time world champions, who had already exceeded expectations by making it this far.
Two wonder goals in the first half meant the teams began the 2nd half on level terms, but Netherlands came out with new vigour and game-plan and simply played Uruguay off the park. Wesley Sneijder scored his 5th goal of the tournament to become the joint top-scorer alongside Spain’s David Villa, and just three minutes later, Robben all but sealed a berth in the final with an immaculate header. Uruguay did make it 3-2 in the end but it was too little, too late.
The match did not start at a lightning pace as anticipated earlier, as both sides were looking to sit back and size up the opposition; but still, when the action actually began, it was Netherlands who took the attack to Uruguay. Led by the unmistakable Robben, Netherlands kept knocking on the door. However, Uruguay’s defence and keeper looked well prepared to deal with anything that came their way. And maybe it was to be a wonder goal that actually broke the deadlock.
Netherlands started the move from the right and quickly shifted to the other side of the field, leaving Uruguay chasing shadows, but it was an unlikely source that actually got the goal. Giovanni van Bronckhorst found space to shoot from 35 yards out to the left, and he let fly the ball; it dipped and swerved making its way to the back of the net with immense velocity, and Fernando Muslera could only get his fingertips on it. It was advantage Netherlands.
Once again, Uruguay looked for inspiration from their go-to man, Diego Forlan, and amazingly he delivered yet again. Forlan got the ball a few yards away from the box and turned to make some space, and found himself staring at the Dutch goal, but still he was at least 25-30 yards from the goal, and that too on his left foot. However, he still tried his luck and the ball ended in the back of the net.
The half ended at 1-1; it was still anybody’s game. Netherlands, though, had clearly dominated the first 45 minutes.
Netherlands came out in the 2nd half reinvigorated and pumped up. Robin van Persie tried to play a one-two with Wesley Sneijder, but his pass wasn't accurate enough and the move broke down.
The Dutch were a bit reckless though; Khalid Boulahrouz's back-pass was a bit short and Edinson Cavani challenged the keeper - when Maarten Stekelenburg's clearance hit Cavani, the striker teed up Alvaro Pereira, but his floated effort was headed away from danger by Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
The Dutch were back on attack: a Wesley Sneijder free-kick into the Uruguay area was flicked on by Joris Mathijsen, but it drifted harmlessly out for a goal-kick. The Dutch needed to raise the tempo; it was just slow and predictable at that point.
A Uruguay corner from the left was half-punched clear by Maarten Stekelenburg, but Maxi Pereira drilled a shot from 20 yards and it was blocked by a Dutch defender.
Then came the crucial moment of the game. Another decent move led to a shooting chance for man-of-the-moment Wesley Sneijder, and after it took a deflection off Maxi Pereira, it might even have brushed off Robin van Persie's shin as it flew past Fernando Muslera into the bottom left-hand corner. There was a hint of off side but the Netherlands didn’t care as they were ahead 2-1.
Uruguay had just got done complaining to the referees about the goal, when within two minutes, Dirk Kuyt cut back on to his right foot down the left and crossed into the box that landed slightly behind Arjen Robben, but the left footer produced a fabulous header, directing it into the bottom right-hand corner, in off the post, and the 3-1 match was surely in the bag for Dutch by then.
Netherlands had 17 more minutes to hang on, but they kept attacking, while Uruguay, although deflated, still kept plugging away, and in injury time got a goal to make the final minute and a half interesting.
Uruguay played a free-kick short and quickly and fooled the Dutch; Walter Gargano found Maxi Pereira and the midfielder curled a left-footed shot past Maarten Stekelenburg and into the far corner.
The referee did add almost one more minute to the playing time, but Netherlands held on and made their way into their 3rd World Cup final. They will now be hoping to finally be able to go all the way.
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