After a dull, drab, dreary full time and extra time more fancied team of the two Argentina got the better off Netherlands 4-2 on penalty shoot out. Maracana and world will see the greatest player of the world Lionel Messi having a crack at the most coveted trophy against a very lively Germany .Netherlands will play Brazil in the play off. Bests of Europe will be up against the best of South America.
Playing Football at world cup is not reading or writing a love story. A team has to have quality, depth and adaptability to play consistently to win at this level. Argentina and Netherlands had both. The match was not something to remember in terms of quality of football from two great sides. Playing safe was the priority. However better fancied side won on Penalty shoot out. My home is now full of joy after a really nervous 120 minutes. The loud shout of my son perhaps will earn some complaints from Aussie neighbors next morning
Argentina won the World Cup in 1978, as hosts and in 1986, in Mexico City. Holland, though, are the nearly men of the world game, having reached and lost three finals. Having been beaten by West Germany in 1974, they reached the final again four years later and lost to the hosts.
After an impressive group phase , Netherlands left it very late in the knock out stage and looked a little less threatening in attack , perhaps wary of a lack of protection to the back three following Nigel de Jong’s injury. Argentina before this match won each of its last 5 matches in this world by the barest of margin. The loss of Di María was a big blow to the South Americans but they still had the quality to get between the lines of the Dutch side. Argentina was, however, little fearful of Netherlands' threat, with the Orange ability to play on the counter attack. In the head-to-head, we had a Dutch team willing to win at all costs with hungry performances by a myriad of players, and the Argentineans showing life just at the right time. It's consistent, strong play versus moments of brilliance.
First Half: With teams sporting Orange and light blue it appeared like Brothers Union playing against Abahoni KC. Cautious start from both side sizing out each other rather than one trying to storm the other with fast furious attack like what Brazil tried last night and got caught .On the sixth minute Robben gets a sniff on the left, but his shot was blocked, and then appeared on the right, but he’s offside. The Dutch seem to be in no hurry, but they kept probing Argentina’s center with balls to Van Persie. Nothing doing, but each time the Argentines cleared they just whack it to midfield and the Netherlands merely started over. First Argentine move of any significance came on the 10 th minute. They could not seem to decide how to enter the Dutch penalty area, so they merely lingered on the edge of it long enough for De Vrij to swipe the ball from Messi. First free kick for Argentina in the 11 th minute failed to produce any dividends. Vlaar clipped Perez from behind about 22 yards from goal on the right. This is Messi territory. Just far enough out. Messi let fly a low trajectory rocket. That free kick was never more than four feet off the ground —it was through the wall, not the hedge — but it struck Cillessen like a Frisbee and he smothered it. Messi started coming more and more in to the game. The match started gathering momentum. Twenty minutes of the match already gone but no realistic goal scoring opportunity created by any side.
On 23 rd Minute Ezequiel Lavezzi rode on his horse again. He was really working over, blind and Martins Indi over there on the right wing. Persistent danger. Dutch was controlling the pace of the game but Argentina started looking more and more eager. Both team kept the defence tight not allowing opposition much space to maneuver. Till 35 minutes there was no long range drive at the goal as well. Robben’s presence in the match was hardly felt. On 36 th minute a very tight offside killed a potential Argentine move .The linesman was getting a workout from the Argentines. It was Lavezzi. Argentines were probing, probing, and testing the limits. Argentina kept playing a bit of keep away, stroking the ball around the midfield but not really doing anything with it. This was the story of the half in one update: the midfielders are driving the bus, but mostly in circles. It was a slow burner match, a big contrast to the match of last night. The entire first half saw only the Messi free kick at 14 th minute worthy of note. A poor match so far in the context of the high expectation from the two evenly matched sides. It was scoreless at the break. Some industry on the wings was seen from Lavezzi and one hard free kick right at the goalkeeper from Messi.
Second Half:
Netherlands so far in the tournament was a second half wonder. 10 of their 12 goals of the tournament came in the second half. On the 48 the minute Robben got a ball on the top of the Argentine box and dangerously turning out. He was brought down. Demichelis got yellow card for holding Robben. It could be a danger for Argentina. But Sneijder struck it high over the cross piece. 56th minute saw a strong run up the middle by Perez, who laid the ball off the Messi. He seemed to have a brutal one-on-one mismatch with the much bigger Vlaar, but the Dutchman stuck a toe in and defuses the threat. On 58 Th minute a dangerous cross from the right came into Dutch territory but Higuain managed to head it directly into the ground.
In came the rain with the match still locked scoreless. The Dutch were really trying to spread the field; Kuyt had one foot out of bounds every time it came to him. And maybe the speedy Clasie for De Jong is an attempt to put that space to use in the middle but every time the Dutch play the ball inside from the sideline, it seemed there was an Argentine there to break it up.
Match so far showed very little ambition for any side. The teams are playing well within themselves. 74 Th minute in to the match Dutch Denied! Janmaat fired in a cross after getting free on the right, but it was a hair behind Van Persie, and his attempt at a bicycle kick is one wheel short. In a matter of second Higuain was breaking in at the other end. A ripple of the netting —– but it was in the side, not in the goal. The Dutch go back the other way. In came Aguero replacing Higuain. Can he inspire the Argentines? But nothing happened. Neither team looked to take extra risk and played safe. An anticlimax to the match played yesterday. A poor match perhaps the poorest full time of this world cup. The best chance of the match came to the Dutch in the injury time. Robben latched on to a long ball at the top of the area and cut it around Demichelis, who had to let him go there knowing the monumental flop that would result if he went at him. Mascherano, though, arrived at the last second to block Robben’s shot out of bounds. Saved the game for Argentina .After nil-nil full time match entered extra time. Several twitted mentioning that neither team wanted to play Germany in the final. Others twitted neither team wanted to loose rather than trying to win.
Extra Time:
First Period: The match followed the same pattern over the period. No extra initiative yet from any side. Getting poised for a late Messi Magic may be. Robben made a long drive in the 99 Th minute straight in to the lap of Romero. Dutch put a little pressure on the accelerator. Argentina looked a little tired and less inventive. Even the first half period of extra time failed to break the dead lock.
Second Period:
Players started doing anything to get the referee’s attention, a whistle, a quick break and a few more ticks off the clock. During every stoppage you have to wonder if, alone with their thoughts, they are thinking which way they will go in the shootout. Placcio went very close of scoring .He slipped behind the Dutch defense after a bouncing ball but his weak header goes straight into Cillessen’s arms. Have to think Palacio scored there with a bigger ponytail behind that header. Two hours of attritional football ended in disappointing nil- nil. Match rolled to penalty shootout.
Penalty Shoot Out: Romero vs Cillessen
Romero saved the first giving Argentina the advantage. Messi put one in .Argentina 1-0. Robben scores 1-1. Garray scored 2-1 Argentina. Sneijder failed to score. Again Romero saved.Rojo scored making it 3-1.Kuyt scored 3-2. Roriguez scored taking Argentina to the final 4-2. Romero turned hero saving two on the day.
Argentina had their heart in their hands. Much to the relief of billions of Argentine fans world over Messi and his team earned a date with Germany for a dream final at Maracna. Another heart break for the Dutch.
Argentina: Romero; Zabaleta, Demichelis, Garay, Rojo; Enzo Pérez (Palacio), Biglia, Mascherano; Lavezzi (Rodriguez), Messi, Higuaín (Aguero)
Netherland: Cillessen, Vlaar, De Vrij, Martins Indi, Blind, De Jong (Jordy Clasie), Van Persie (Huntellar), Sneijder, Robben, Kuyt, Wijnaldum.
BDST: 0508 HRS, JUL 10, 2014
