FIFA World Cup 2010 Quarterfinal preview – Netherlands vs Brazil
The second battle in the first day of the Quarter finals, in the FIFA World Cup, will be between Netherlands and Brazil. This is one of the highly anticipated matches in this round of the World Cup, as both teams look good on paper. However, Brazilians are the favourites to win this version of the FIFA World Cup, as they top the FIFA rankings. Netherlands, however, has all the potential to create an upset in the match.
Netherlands has shown, so far, an excellent winning streak in this World Cup. The Dutch beat Japan, Denmark and Cameroon in their group stage, while they won against Slovakia in the second round match. Despite being unbeaten so far in the tournament, the Dutch still have not shown their full potential. There is still a lot of improvement to be done in the team, as their attacking lacks the real Dutch fervour and zeal. They are famous for their attacking strength, as most of their attacking players play for big clubs in Europe. But, still no such attacking feat has been put on display by the Dutch in the tournament.
The real strength of the Dutch is their midfielder, Wesley Sneijder. He is the one in the midfield who controls the flow of play for his team. On his day, Sneijder is even good enough to dictate the whole play in an encounter. His clever and exceptional passing skills, as well as, his ability to score goals is his real strength. He will definitely be the one player, who will keep on testing the Brazilian defenders.
Also the timely return of Arjen Robben, in the squad, is proving to be a blessing in disguise. Robben has showed a lot of spark in the matches he played, as he scored once against the Slovakians and created the winning goal against Cameroon. His fast sideways movement and exceptional dribbling skills will keep the opponents guessing.
However, the Brazilians have just the right men to counter the attacking capabilities of the Dutch. The real men to watch would be Lucio and Maicon, from Inter Milan. Lucio has proven himself to be the best defender so far in this World Cup, as he showed a true blend of strength, agility and hard-work. He looks good while going forward, and he looks dangerous at the back. He is a real nightmare for the forwards of other teams, as he has the ability to humiliate any player of quality.
Also, Dunga, the Brazilian coach, has strengthened his squad’s defence. He might play Dani Alves in the midfield, which also improves the defensive capabilities of the team. One thing is for sure, the Dutch will need a real miracle or a sublime display of flare from few individuals, if they want to score against the Brazilians.
Brazilians have always been known for their attacking. Although, this time around, Dunga will like to shown a little of their defensive skills, but the attack is not bad at all. They have some quality players who play for quality clubs in Europe. These players have tons of experience in big matches, and have an ability to threaten any kind of team in the World. The Brazilian attack would be led by the former World Player of the Year, Kaka, Robinho and their top goal-scorer in the tournament, Luis Fabiano.
There is no doubt that the Brazilian team is physically the strongest team in this World Cup, and to win a match against Brazil will demand a lot of hard work and determination. Netherlands have a tough squad, but Brazil will most definitely outplay them in the midfield. Also, the good aerial abilities of Brazilian defender will make it almost impossible for the Dutch to score from the set-pieces. The only option left for the Dutch is to play the game of counter-attack. The pace of Robin Van Persie and Robben would help them to threaten the Brazilians on the counter-attacks. Otherwise, Brazilians have a slight advantage over the Dutch, to earn a place in the semi-finals.
Tags: