Netherland 3 [Van Persie 1 (3*), Blind 1 (17*), Wijnaldum.90* ] : Brazil 0
Host Brazil got hammered and humbled again. Very matured Netherland playing skilfull attacking football sunk Brazilian pride further. They caused further misery for a miserable Brazil beating those3 -0. Even luck turned its back on Brazil as they were deprived off two genuine penalties in the second half the Italian referee overlooked a hand ball and then wrongly penalized Oscar after being fouled inside Dutch penalty area. Van Persie scored off a penalty in the very third minute and blind doubled it in the 17 thminute. When all looked over Netherland rubbed more slats to Brazil wound with another late goal through Wijnaldum.Netherland remained one of the undefeated sides of the tournament and lost the semifinal only on penalty shootout. It will take long for Brazil to forget the embarrassment and rebuilt from the ruins of the world cup. Strange to even imagine what went wrong with the side which won confederation cup in home soil in not too distant past.
It was nightmare yet again for the host Brazil. They again were struck with early storm going down two nil mainly due to abysmal defending. This Brazil defence performed so poorly in two matches back to back that many thought it to be worst Brazil team ever to appear in a world cup. Not only that they lacked flair but also skill. In the semifinal and the play off Brazil looked a completely disorganized side . They dominated the proceeding in the second half but failed to crack a very resolute Dutch defence.
Brazil World Cup has been one of the most enthralling spectacles in modern football. The majority of games have been enjoyable and full of drama, exactly what all expects on the biggest stage of all. But neither Brazil nor even Netherland wanted to play the paly off. Their hearts were broken from their respective semifinal matches as they experienced two different kinds of frustrations.
Brazil and Holland were knocked out at the semi-final stage and appeared in the match hope to gain some pride for their country as well as a 3rd place finish. Brazil was desperate to give their devastated faithful something to cheer about following an incredible defeat to Germany. The 7-1 hammering sent shockwaves around the world and left most of the country shell-shocked after witnessing the worst capitulation they had ever seen.
Holland had reasons to count them unlucky to go out on penalties to Argentina after looking the better side in a fairly dull contest. The shoot-out is a lottery that sometimes goes for you, as it did for Van Gaal’s men against Costa Rica, but can also leave you inconsolable in the case of Wednesday night, after goalkeeper Romero saved spot kicks from both Vlaar and Sneijder.
First Half:Two minute into the game saw a shocker for Brazil. Holland dominated possession for the opening seconds, stroking the ball around the pitch as Brazil pressed high and hard. A ball was hit long and Van Persie took it down. He twirled and played a wonderful through ball for Robben. Just a touch inside the box, he was held back by Silva and the referee is left with no choice. Penalty and Robin put Holland ahead 1-0. The Manchester United man got his 4th goal of the tournament by lashing the spot-kick into the top-right corner of the net. César dived to the correct side but got nowhere near it. Silva got a yellow card, by the way, but it could have been a red. On replay it appeared that the Silva committed the foul outside the penalty area."Regarding whether there was penalty or not, the rule says: 'If a defender starts holding an attacker outside the penalty area and continues holding him inside the penalty area, the referee must award a penalty kick.'" So it should have been a penalty – as it looked like he was still holding in the box – and it should have been a red card as well for Silva.
On 9 th minute Jô scampered onto a long ball forward down the right. He turned and laid the ball back to Ramires on the edge of the box. He tried to squirt the ball past a few Dutch defenders but it rebounded back and Holland counter attacked with pace. That brought to nothing except a yellow card for Robben.
Goal number two came to Holland on the 15th minute sinking Brazil further. Robben picked the ball up outside the box, looked up and played a short, sharp pass to De Guzmán on the right. He had enough time and space to look up and lob the ball in the box. Once there it reached the head of Robben. He could have head it over the bar and away from any danger but instead he chose to head backwards – he was facing the goal – and into the path of Blind. Blind controlled the ball and hit the same spot as Van Persie did with his penalty 2-0. What a misery for Brazil. Again Brazil was down two nil within the first seventeenth minute of a match. This world cup saw very poor Brazilian defending. Perhaps it was their worst ever in a world cup for Brazil.
Not that Brazil sat back and did not have their opportunities. They attacked, attacked and attacked. But just did not get the goal. On 20Th minute Oscar swerved his way into space outside the Dutch box and aimed an effort on goal. Cillessen dealt with it easily enough.
On the 29 Th minutes it was almost three for Holland. Robben found space on the right and set up De Guzmá on the edge of the area. He struck well for home but his effort missed by not much. Brazil got desperate for a goal. They got few free kicks in the efforts of breaking the defence. Three free kicks they got around Holland penalty area but could not exploit any. First half ended 2-0 for Netherlands. How much embarrassment hosts could get.
Second Half: On 46th minute Brazil got an early attack down the left. It looked promising but Maxwell spoiled the party by forgetting he was playing, drifting off to sleep and being caught offside.
On 50 th minute Braziltook a short corner and wasted it. Holland counter attacked through Robben and Fernandinho brought him down just inside the Brazil half. Robben took the resulting free-kick quick and short to Blind. He returned the pass and Robben squeezed through two Brazil defenders. On the edge of the area, his shot was blocked and it looped to the back post. Wijnaldum is at the back posy looking to nod it in but he was offside.
On 54 th minute Fernandinho made an ugly tackle on Van Persie (and his knee) and got a yellow card for his troubles. Holland got a free-kick wide on the left. The players were in the box, expecting the ball was hoicked in the area but the Dutch went short and chose to keep hold of the ball.
On the 63 rd minutes a chancecame for David Luiz to redeem himself. Brazil got a free-kick –from a silly foul by Blind – just outside the box, right in the centre of the pitch. The defender aimed and shoots and found the hands of Cillessen.
As time ticked by Brazil got more and more anxious about restoring some pride. Waves of Brazilian attack started rebounding from resolute Dutch defence. Desperate Brazil just could not deliver the final strike .Brazil was denied a genuine penalty in the 64 th minute when a Dutch defender clearly handled the ball inside the penalty area.. On the 68 th minute Brazil was deprived a second penalty when Oscar was foul inside the Dutch penalty area.
On the 77 minute Brazilpoured forward like a burst of early morning sunlight. Hulk had the ball at his feet and he looked to cut inside and hit one for the top corner. Vlaar made a goal line save.
In the dying minutes when the game was drawing to a close Netherland struck again. Robben ambled down the right, stopped and passed to Janmaat on the overlap. He cut the ball back for Wijnaldum and he slammed the ball home easily enough from inside the area 3-0.
Brazil digested 10 goals in two matches and 14 in the tournament. Never before a Brazil team disgraced in a such a way in the World Cup. There is nothing for Brazilian fans to defend such a terrible performance of the team they madly follow. Brazil has to do a lot of soul searching as to what went very wrong with the team .
Netherland was superb. Robben alone destroyed the Brazilians. A wonderful attacking Dutch team richly deserved the third position or even more. To me Netherland was the team of the tournament. With a little bit of luck they could be playing in the final and who knows could get their touch of the trophy.
It will not be right if we do not put a few words for the Dutch boss Van Gaal. He appeared to us as astute tactician who planned his strategy efficiently and marshaled the team exceeding well. Manchester United will definitely be well served when he takes over.
Brazil: César, Maicon, TSilva, David Luiz, Maxwell, Paulinho, L Gustavo ( Fernendinho) ,Georginio, Ramires,Oscar ,Willian,Jo
Netherland:Cillessen, D Kryut ,S De Vrij, R Vlaar,B Martins,D Blind, Georginio,de Guzman ,J Clasie,Robin van Persie, A Robben.
BDST: 0456 HRS, JULY 13, 2014
