After two more long empty days, the semifinals are upon us! A mere five minutes until the Netherlands kickoff against Uruguay.
Both teams advanced in dramatic quarterfinal matches on Friday. The Dutch came back after conceding an early goal to the heavily favored Brazilians to win 2-1, while Uruguay also came back from a goal down to Ghana, eventually winning on penalty kicks (after their star forward preserved a 1-1 tie in the 120th minute with a controversial handball clearance off the Uruguayan goal line).
We’ll be doing a bit of liveblogging during the match, but most of the action will be happening in the comments thread. Join us for the action!
Final score: Holland 3-2 Uruguay (Van Bronckhorst 18′, Sneijder 70′, Robben 73′ ; Forlan 41′, Pereira 90′)
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Starting lineups:
Uruguay: 1-Fernando Muslera; 3-Diego Godin, 6-Mauricio Victorino, 5-Walter Gargano, 16-Maximiliano Pereira, 22-Martin Caceres, 15-Diego Perez, 11-Alvaro Pereira, 17-Egidio Arevalo, 7-Edinson Cavani, 10-Diego Forlan.
Netherlands: 1-Maarten Stekelenburg; 12-Khalid Boulahrouz, 3-John Heitinga, 4-Joris Mathijsen, 5-Giovanni van Bronckhorst; 7-Dirk Kuyt, 6-Mark van Bommel, 10-Wesley Sneijder, 14-Demy de Zeeuw, 11-Arjen Robben; 9-Robin van Persie.
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
[liveblog]26[/liveblog]
23 comments
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 2:27 PM
“Everyone” says that URU must play a tight, controlled match, and hope for Forlan special to grab a late lead. Not sure the URU coach feels the same way. I’d guess he has a surprise up his sleeve. The Dutch need to start at full effort and pace when the whistle blows, and create more quality chances from their typical style.
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 2:33 PM
Robben went right!
Suman
July 6, 2010 at 2:35 PM
@Larry: What do you guess Tabárez’s surprise is? Seems like the Dutch started with pace with that Robben-> ? ->Kuyt attack
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 2:38 PM
if i tell you it won’t be a surprise. actually they should try what Para did against Spain, pressure as far up the pitch as they can. and they are, esp when dutch outside backs have the ball
Suman
July 6, 2010 at 2:56 PM
Well that Dutch goal came from an unexpected source! Hup Holland..and happy for their captain!
Joyce
July 6, 2010 at 2:58 PM
that was one hard blow to the noggin
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 2:58 PM
now facing adversity, will Forlan pack it in like the other S American stars have?
Joyce
July 6, 2010 at 3:11 PM
Equalizer by Forlan – beautiful!
Sean
July 6, 2010 at 3:12 PM
What a goal from Forlan!!!
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 3:14 PM
mistake from stekelenburg
Suman
July 6, 2010 at 3:15 PM
You think Stekelenburg is perhaps regretting this comment:
“Stekelenburg: Suarez the top ‘keeper”
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/806146/ce/uk/&cc=5901?ver=us
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 3:25 PM
so at least the commentators can stop saying how the dutch goal would draw the URUs out. I just re-watched the first 10 mins, and URU was not sitting back much at all. At least Ruud noticed. Credit to Forlan on the goal, though NED needs to never let him have that kind of space.
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 3:36 PM
v der Vaart on. van Marwijk looking to keep them forward.
Suman
July 6, 2010 at 3:47 PM
@Larry, good pt..the Dutch didn’t give Forlan a whole lot of time/space on that shot, but it was still too much. Who was that Dutch defender that got turned around on that play? Def a weakness..see also that fiasco of a backpass from Boularouz that almost led to a 2nd Uruguyan goal a few minutes ago.
Suman
July 6, 2010 at 3:48 PM
Ok, I’m heading out of the house now (58′) to watch with people (in addition to Ashok, that is)..post a comment if I miss anything significant in the next ~10mins
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 3:54 PM
good spell of advanced possession there for NED, but no real chance created. the match has settled into a little lull. now they are picking it up again. URU ready to score here.
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 3:55 PM
65′ free kick by forlan: 28 yards on the left, curls to the near. save by stekelenburg, out for a throw.
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 4:03 PM
i think you missed some things.
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 4:08 PM
ball played in from the right by robben, all the way across to sneijder on the left. he cuts back in, shoots through v Persie, into the far post corner. v Persie offside, and he was def involved in the play.
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 4:11 PM
3 mins later, Kuyt has space on the left, gently crosses to the spot, Robben manages to reach back with his head and sends it in off the near post.
Larry
July 6, 2010 at 4:12 PM
both came after 68th min chance when Robben killed it well over from a decent angle, and with players open in the middle
Suman
July 6, 2010 at 6:59 PM
thanks for the play-by-play Larry..I made it the biergarten (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-NY/Der-Schwarze-Kolner/89036008945) just in time for the 2nd half scoring..a good number of Oranje fans were out, so it was a good atmosphere to watch
Good Abs Workout
July 11, 2010 at 6:36 AM
I just don’t figure why everybody hate Mark v Bommel, You winers all wish to have a soccerplayer like Mark in your squad, he is aggressive en a wonderful defending middfielder, and sure he is pushing the envelope sometimes, but that is the deviation ‘tween a succeeder and a failure.
Comments are closed.