Friday, 2nd July 2010
Brazil Out But Qualify For 2014
Holland vs Brazil
in Port Elizabeth
Both teams started this match on top of their game but still
offered plenty of room for improvement.
Joris Mathijsen was injured in the warm-up and had to be replaced by
Andr� Ooijer, and the hole in the Dutch defence was instantly exploited on a couple of
occasions.
Having already had a goal disallowed for offside, Robinho made sure at
the second attempt; running onto a long, low through-ball from Felipe Melo.
Dirk Kuyt tried to reply for Holland, but Julio Cesar saved for a
corner.
Brazil maintained control of the first-half, passing better, moving
better, defending better and frustrating Holland to such a point that Arjen Robben tried
the mother of all pointless corners; making a slight touch and then running away for
someone else to come over to the ball.
The Brazilians even snuffed that trick out with a sweet treat of
sublime football; a lesson to the Dutch in how to defend with style, attack with class and
play the game with purpose.
No wonder Johan Cruyff wouldn't pay to watch the game on this showing,
Holland looked too one-dimensional and unable to change the way they played when route one
was blocked over and again.
Half-time: 0:1
Michel Bastos was lucky not to receive his second yellow card, even
though Arjen Robben did overact, but Holland pulled themselves back into the game when
Felipe Melo went up with Julio Cesar, as Wesley Sneijder's curling ball came towards the
goal.
The Brazilian goalkeeper missed the punch but Melo made contact with
the ball; for the third own goal of the 2010 World Cup Finals.
Holland took the lead in the 68th minute when Dirk Kuyt flicked on a
corner and Wesley Sneijder headed the ball in at the far post; tapping his forehead with
glee.
Then Brazil started to lose the plot and frustrate themselves; Felipe
Melo's red card reducing Brazil to ten men. Oh well, they're hosting the next World Cup Finals in 2014.
Wesley Sneijder could have sealed it for Holland with less than seven
minutes to play, then Andre Ooijer was on the case to deny Kaka an equalising chance.
With three minutes to go, Dirk Kuyt tried to impersonate Diego
Maradona at his best and run through the opposition on the way to goal, but was foiled by
a solid tackle from Juan.
Final Score:
Holland 2 Brazil 1
 Goalscorers:
0:1 Robinho (10 mins)
1:1 Felipe Melo (53 mins - own goal)
2:1 Wesley Sneijder (68 mins)
Man of The Match:
Wesley Sneijder - Involved in the equaliser and scored the winner to eliminate Brazil.
Teams
 Holland:
1 Maarten Stekelenburg; 5 Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, 13 Andr� Ooijer, 3 John Heitinga, 2
Gregory Van Der Wiel; 7 Dirk Kuyt, 8 Nigel De Jong, 6 Mark Van Bommel, 11 Arjen Robben; 9
Robin Van Persie, 10 Wesley Sneijder.
 Brazil:
1 Julio Cesar; 6 Michel Bastos, 4 Juan, 3 Lucio, 2 Maicon; 11 Robinho, 5 Felipe Melo, 8
Gilberto Silva, 13 Dani Alves; 9 Luis Fabiano, 10 Kaka.
Referee:
Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)
Substitutions:
62 Mins (Brazil) - 16 Gilberto Melo on for 6 Michel Bastos
77 Mins (Brazil) - 21 Nilmar on for 9 Luis Fabiano
85 Mins (Holland) - 21 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar on for 9 Robin Van Persie
 5 Yellow
Cards:
14 Mins - John Heitinga (Holland)
37 Mins - Michel Bastos (Brazil)
47 Mins - Gregory Van Der Wiel (Holland) - misses semi-final.
65 Mins - Nigel De Jong (Holland) - misses semi-final.
76 Mins - Andr� Ooijer (Holland)
 1 Red Card:
73 Mins - Felipe Melo (Brazil)
Previous Encounters:
Of the nine meetings between Brazil and Holland, Brazil have won three and Holland two.
The other four games were draws, including the Marseille semi-final (1:1aet) at France 1998. Brazil went on to win the penalty
shoot-out (4:2).
Other meetings at the World Cup Finals include a Brazil victory (3.2)
in the Dallas quarter-final at USA 1994; and a Dutch
win (2:0) in the Dortmund Second Round match at West
Germany 1974.
To the Semi-final in Cape Town.
2010 World Cup Finals - Knockout Stage.
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