Uruguay vs Dutch, a semi to watch
FIFA World Cup 1st Semi-final today
The World Cup’s history men face the competition’s nearly men when
inaugural hosts and twice winners Uruguay take on double runners-up
Netherlands in Cape Town on Tuesday fighting it out for a place in the
final.
Not just Uruguayan soccer but the country’s whole national identity
draws heavily on their victories of 1930 and 1950.
Semi-finals in 1954 and 1970 showed that those early successes were
not a flash in the pan but it has been meagre pickings since then before
this year’s surpise march.
“I don’t know what would happen if we were to achieve what that team
achieved back in 1950,” said coach Oscar Tabarez. “We still hold those
champions as idols.”
Netherlands Team
Maarten Stekelenburg, Andre Ooijer, John Heitinga, Joris
Mathijsen, Giovanni van Bronckhorst (capt), Mark van Bommel,
Rafael van der Vaart, Dirk Kuyt, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben,
Robin van Persie,
Coach: Bert van Marwijk (NED)
Uruguay Team
Fernando Muslera, Maximiliano
Perreira, Diego Lugano (capt.), Diego Godin, Mauricio Victorino,
Egidio Arevalo, Diego Perez, Alvaro Fernandez, Diego Forlan,
Sebastian Abreu, Edinson Cavani. Coach: Oscar Tabarez (URU)
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Every Dutch player also operates under long shadows: in their case
those cast by the likes of Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens and Johnny Rep
and the “Total Football” of the 1970s.
In 1974 and 1978 the Dutch were cast as chief bridesmaid they might
have been prettier than the bride on both occasions but at the end of
the ceremony it was still West Germany and Argentina who signed the
register.
The 1988 European championship-winning side of Marco Van Basten, Ruud
Gullit and Frank Rijkaard could not transfer their success to the world
stage while a shoot-out defeat to Brazil in the 1998 semi-finals was
another frustrating near miss.
All that will count for nothing in Cape Town however, as both sides
will be looking very much to the future, to July 11 and a Johannesburg
appointment with Germany or Spain.
Everything points to the Netherlands advancing to set up a
second-successive all-European final, leaving egg on the face of those
writing off the continent only a week ago.
The Dutch are on a phenomenal run. Having won all their qualifying
matches to get to South Africa they won all three group games here and
two knockout matches.
The last of them, 2-1 against Brazil after weathering an early
onslaught, has left them buzzing and fearing nobody.
With four-goal midfielder Wesley Sneijder pulling the strings, they
look a well-balanced side, with goals conveniently coming from a wide
variety of sources as rusty striker Van Persie plays his way back to
full fitness.
Arjen Robben, whether by scoring, creating, or drawing fouls, is
their key weapon and the winger can expect some very close attention
from Uruguay’s uncompromising defenders.
Unsurpisingly, Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk is treating the last
surviving South American team with respect. “This is a very dangerous
game, they are fighters and we have to be very focused,” he said.
The Dutch are without right back Gregory van der Wiel and midfielder
Nigel de Jong, who are both suspended.
Khalid Boulahrouz and Demy de Zeeuw are the likely replacements
though Ibrahim Afellay or Rafael van der Vaart could be in the mix.
Joris Mathijsen, a late withdrawal from the quarter-final, is fit to
play, as is Van Persie, who had a slight knock. Uruguay need to be at
their absolute best to have any chance but suspensions and injury have
hit them hard.
Striker Luis Suarez, who spent the last three years terrorising Dutch
defences for Ajax Amsterdam, is banned for his match-saving goalline
handball against Ghana, as is defender Jorge Fucile, who earned a second
yellow card against Ghana.
Midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro is out of the tournament after fracturing
a bone in his foot while captain Diego Lugano faces a race against time
to overcome a knee ligament problem. On the bright side, defender Diego
Godin, who missed the Ghana match with a thigh injury, should be
available.
In Suarez’s absence, the slim shoulders of Diego Forlan, who hit the
equaliser against Ghana for his third goal of the tournament, will carry
his nation’s weighty expectations. CAPE TOWN, Reuters |