World Cup 2010: Day 22 - Semi Final 1 - (Tuesday 6th July)

[Geordie Ahmed]

1st Semi Final


Uruguay v Netherlands (19:30 BST) (18:30 GMT)
Venue: Cape Town
Coverage: BBC1

[161]

Hard to beat a team with eleven potential goalkeepers ...

[Amir]

Originally Posted by kashif77 Hard to beat a team with eleven potential goalkeepers ...

Uruguay...the true masters of TOTAL football

[d0gers]

Originally Posted by Geordie Ahmed 1st Semi Final Uruguay v Netherlands (19:30 BST) (18:30 GMT) Venue: Cape Town Coverage: BBC1

Come on GA why do you keep ignoring my posts. This is Day 22 not 21. You have two Day 19 threads.

[d0gers]

Originally Posted by kashif77 Hard to beat a team with eleven potential goalkeepers ...

Convert your PKs and that's that.

[AZ]

1 - 2

[Geordie Ahmed]

Originally Posted by d0gers Come on GA why do you keep ignoring my posts. This is Day 22 not 21. You have two Day 19 threads.

Ooops - this is the only post of yours I have noticed re. day 19 so I havnt been ignoring it

[d0gers]

Originally Posted by Geordie Ahmed Ooops - this is the only post of yours I have noticed re. day 19 so I havnt been ignoring it

Cheers mate

[Amir]

Originally Posted by d0gers Come on GA why do you keep ignoring my posts. This is Day 22 not 21. You have two Day 19 threads.

He can be so frustrating at times.

[Geordie Ahmed]

2 days without football is not good - though the cricket was good today

Still looking forward to this match - hopefully Holland can get the win

[161]

Stekelenburg says Luis Suarez is best keeper of World Cup

http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/wor...urn=sow,253688

[kingusama92]

Originally Posted by Geordie Ahmed 2 days without football is not good - though the cricket was good today Still looking forward to this match - hopefully Holland can get the win

Cricket will clash with football tomorrow.

That sucks. Hope Netherlands thrash Uruguay so that I don't feel bad about missing part of the game.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Originally Posted by kingusama92 Cricket will clash with football tomorrow. That sucks. Hope Netherlands thrash Uruguay so that I don't feel bad about missing part of the game.

Should not miss too much - hopefully we can bat first, make 200 and then bowl them out within 10 overs, nicely timed for the football

[hasanb]

Apparently there are hardly any dutch or uruguay supporters at ALL in cape town right now...which is a very worrying sign ahead of one of the biggest games in world football really...

[WithLoveFromCanada]

Well if this match goes to penalties somehow, dutch will lose.

[kingusama92]

Originally Posted by WithLoveFromCanada Well if this match goes to penalties somehow, dutch will lose.

I agree, Uruguay will just put Suarez in net. Finest goalkeeper of all time.

[d0gers]

Originally Posted by kingusama92 I agree, Uruguay will just put Suarez in net. Finest goalkeeper of all time.

He's suspended so won't be available till the final.

But in his place they might put El Loco Abreu in the net.

[WithLoveFromCanada]

Originally Posted by kingusama92 I agree, Uruguay will just put Suarez in net. Finest goalkeeper of all time.

I think as far as tomorrow's match is concerned it will be all Holland attack and Uraguay defence. The moment Holland scores a goal, its game over.

[WithLoveFromCanada]

Uraguay vs Netherlands - Semi Final



Team News, Formation, Insights


Venue Green Point Stadium, Cape Town

Referee R Irmatov (Uzb)

Odds Uruguay 6-1 Netherlands 4-6 Draw 27-10


Uruguay

Manager Oscar Tábarez

Fifa ranking 16

Doubtful Lugano (knee)

Injured Lodeiro (broken foot)

Suspended Fucile, Suárez


Netherlands

Manager Bert van Marwijk

Fifa ranking 4

Doubtful None

Injured None

Suspended De Jong, Van der Wiel


Match pointers

• These sides have met on four occasions in total, with Uruguay winning three times and the Dutch one

• The two sides' only previous meeting in the World Cup came in 1974 when the Dutch won 2-0 in a group game, with Jonny Rep netting both goals. Diego Forlán's father, Pablo, was on the losing side

• Wesley Sneijder has now scored five goals in his last seven internationals

• Uruguay have already broken their own record, set in 2002, for games played in a single World Cup, including qualifying rounds. The South Americans have played 25 games, and are guaranteed to play two more including tomorrow's match

• Three of Diego Forlán's four goals in World Cup finals history have come from outside the box


Miracles Do Happen

Both Uruguay and the Netherlands are small nations steeped in World Cup history but only one has the ability to progress to another final when the sides meet on Tuesday evening in Cape Town.

It’s been 60 years since the Celeste were on top of the world, yet Oscar Tabarez’s side stand only 180 minutes from arguably their greatest ever success. The story could have been very different after a dramatic quarter-final meeting with Ghana that saw the South Americans come through in remarkable circumstances.

Having fallen behind in first half stoppage time, Uruguay battled back after the break thanks to a goal from Diego Forlan. When Luis Suarez was dismissed in the very last minute of stoppage time for handling a goalbound header on the line it seemed he had earned his side only a temporary reprieve but Asamoah Gyan sent his penalty against the bar. From a seemingly impossible position, the Celeste then won on penalty kicks.

“The ‘Hand of God’ now belongs to me,” Suarez cheekily proclaimed to the press after the game. “There was no alternative for me. This was the end of the World Cup and when I saw Gyan miss the penalty it was a great joy. I thought ‘it is a miracle’.”

No Targets Reached Yet

Along with Spain, the Netherlands are often cited as the best nation never to win the World Cup. Unlike la Furia Roja, the Dutch have come incredibly close to enjoying such success, finishing second in quick succession during the 1970s. The golden era of Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens et al may be over, but there is a new generation of superstars now plying their trade in the iconic orange shirts.

And this could be the Netherlands’ year. Brazil have often proved to be the nemeses of the Dutch in the past, but the Selecao were wrestled aside, despite the South Americans taking a first half lead. A brace of Wesley Sneijder goals early in the second half turned the game around, and this pragmatic Dutch side thereafter refused to let their grip on the fixture go.

Bert van Marwijk, the coach of the Oranje, firmly believes that his side will take their spot in the final come July 11, though he has urged his players not to allow their mental focus to slip.

“We have been down this road before in the past with other Dutch teams and the Dutch people have been let down time and again,” he reminded his squad via a press conference. “We have to take the duel with Uruguay very seriously because, mentally, it is difficult to get yourselves back into the mix after a victory against Brazil.

“It has now been two years that I have been trying to get the players to understand that in order to be world champions, they must shine regularly without ever letting up. We haven't succeeded in our mission yet. The target, to be crowned champions, is not yet achieved.”

It has been clear from the outset that Van Marwijk has had a clear plan for his side, and boasting an imperious record in competitive matches (13 wins from 13 games), the Netherlands can justifiably approach this fixture with high expectations.

FORM GUIDE

Uruguay

DREW 1-1 aet – won 4-2 on penalties (n) Ghana (World Cup, July 2)

WON 2-1 (n) South Korea (World Cup, June 26)

WON 1-0 (n) Mexico (World Cup, June 22)

WON 3-0 (a) South Africa (World Cup, June 16)

DREW 0-0 (n) France (World Cup, June 11)

Netherlands

WON 2-1 (n) Brazil (World Cup, July 2)

WON 2-1 (n) Slovakia (World Cup, June 28)

WON 2-1 (n) Cameroon (World Cup, June 24)

WON 1-0 (n) Japan (World Cup, June 19)

WON 2-0 (n) Denmark (World Cup, June 14)


TEAM NEWS

Uruguay

Oscar Tabarez has been able to pick a steady team in the competition to date but will have to re-jig his side a little for this game. It may well be that Diego Lugano is ruled out after having to go off early in the Ghana clash with a knee problem, while there is hope that Diego Godin will be fit to return. Nicolas Lodeiro is definitely out, having fractured a bone in his right foot.

Luis Suarez, of course, is suspended after his match-winning indiscretion against the Black Stars. He will be free to return for the final, should the Celeste emerge victorious. Jorge Fucile is also out due to a one-match ban.

Probable Starting XI: Muslera; M. Pereira, Scotti, Victorino, A. Pereira; A. Fernandez, Arevalo, Perez, Cavani; Abreu, Forlan

Netherlands

The good news for Bert van Marwijk is that any fears over the fitness of Robin van Persie have already been allayed and the striker, who picked up an elbow injury against Brazil, will be ready to take his place in the starting XI against Uruguay.

Joris Mathijsen is expected to come back into the team after missing the weekend’s game with a non-serious knee problem.

Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong are banned after picking up yellow cards against the Brazilians. Demy de Zeeuw is expected to step in for De Jong, while Khalid Boulahrouz will play right-back.

Probable Starting XI: Stekelenburg; Boulahrouz, Heitinga, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst; Van Bommel, De Zeeuw; Kuyt, Sneijder, Van der Vaart; Van Persie

FORMATIONS

[zulfiqar]

U guys think Uruguay will score? I'm thinking of stacking nederland defenders in mcfifa. It's Mich tougher to count on a clean sheet in the second semi because of the form the Germans n Villa are in.

[Energy]

Originally Posted by hasanb Apparently there are hardly any dutch or uruguay supporters at ALL in cape town right now...which is a very worrying sign ahead of one of the biggest games in world football really...

That would be ultra embarrasing if there is a poor turn-out for the semi-final..Netherlands should be comfortable winning this one by atleast a 2 goal difference..

[dhump]

I think Netherlands will win and I want them to win and Face Germany in the finals and that will be like India Pakistan final .

[Omer Aftab]

Uruguay 0 - Netherlands 1

[Amjid Javed]

A very tough game for the Dutch! I hope they dont get caught out like they did against Russia two years ago!

[MAJID-SHAH]

certainly wont be easy, but i do expect the dutch to come out on top, and book their place in the final

[d0gers]

Uruguay v Netherlands line-ups:

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).

[Energy]

I wonder why Van Der Vaart is not in the starting line-up. Is he injured?

[MCMLXXXII]

Originally Posted by Omer Aftab Uruguay 0 - Netherlands 1

I have the same prediction. I think Uruguay will find it tough to score without Saurez.

[Energy]

Fairly boring game so far!

[d0gers]

Wow what a strike by Gio!

[Energy]

Van Bronkhost....That is a super strike!

[Theo_14]

what a strike by dutchcaptain - possibly goal of the tourney..

[MCMLXXXII]

I predicted a 1-0 win for Holland but a goal after 60 minutes. I think there could be many more goals in this game.

[MCMLXXXII]

So where is everyone today? Watching the cricket?

[d0gers]

Forlan!!!!!

What a champion!

[Theo_14]

oh no, poor keeping error!

2 stunning goals ehre!

1-1

[Energy]

Equalizer!...The match is getting very interesting now..Wish Suarez was playing..

[MCMLXXXII]

that was a strike from a distance of 32 meters for Forlan.

[Theo_14]

Now that Pakistan have won, I shall be watching this and hopefully my holland will win!

[Geordie Ahmed]

That was a stunning strike from Van Bronckhorst

Frolan's was also a belter

[Strike!]

Was lucky enough to catch both goals live when flipping channels, Were in for an exciting contest.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Kuyt is crap going forward - bring on Elia

[Geordie Ahmed]

Holland with a lot of the ball

[Geordie Ahmed]

30 mins left

[Energy]

Free kick to Uruguay..good chance this..

[Geordie Ahmed]

Uruguay with a free kick - Forlan to take

[WithLoveFromCanada]

Uraguay playing better than expected. I never expected them to equalize......

now as things stands...the closer they get to penalties the better the chances of uraguay to win as constant attacking will defo tire the dutch players....

[Geordie Ahmed]

Good shot and well saved

[Energy]

Van Der Vaart misses a big chance!

[Geordie Ahmed]

Ah - Holland with some good play

Good control by RVP, finds VDV with a nice pass, he shoots, keeper saveds and then Robben blasts it over right footed

[MCMLXXXII]

Forlan with a free kick, saved by the goalie.

[Geordie Ahmed]

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holland

[Energy]

GOAL!!!!..Van Persie's final touch I guess

[Geordie Ahmed]

Sneijder BUT surely RVP was offside???????????

[Geordie Ahmed]

Nope he wasnt - great decision by the linesman

[Geordie Ahmed]

Originally Posted by Hassam Nasarullah GOAL!!!!..Van Persie's final touch I guess

Nah he didnt touch it - Sneijders goal

[Energy]

This man Sneijder...you just cant keep him out of the game!

[Geordie Ahmed]

20 mins left

[WithLoveFromCanada]

I think uraguay will get a penalty close to finish..the way their luck has turned out in this whole tournament..i think they will get one last chance to stay in the world cup...

[Geordie Ahmed]

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Robben

[Energy]

Match over!...Holland advance

[Geordie Ahmed]

That was a class header from Robben

[Geordie Ahmed]

Good cross from the left from Kuyt and a quality header

[kingusama92]

Well done.

They should get to the final now.

[Energy]

Originally Posted by Geordie Ahmed That was a class header from Robben

Yes it was brilliant..But a good ball by Kuyt as well!

[Geordie Ahmed]

No more goals please - I predicted a 3-1 win for Holland and played my joker

15 mins left

[Geordie Ahmed]

Originally Posted by Hassam Nasarullah Yes it was brilliant..But a good ball by Kuyt as well!

Indeed BUT I still dont like him

[Energy]

Originally Posted by Geordie Ahmed Indeed BUT I still dont like him

Not that bad a player!..

[d0gers]

All three of Holland's goals have come off the post. Given the keeper no chance whatsoever.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Forlan has gone off - Uruguay have given up

[Geordie Ahmed]

6 mins left

[Geordie Ahmed]

Great play from Holland BUT Robben fails to finish it - should have scored

[Geordie Ahmed]

Sneijder voted MOTM by ITV viewers

[Easa]

Oh well, Uraguay should still be congratulated for a fantastic World Cup.

They left everything on the field, and to get to the final four featuring teams like this is a fantastic achievement. Forlan is class. As is the Hand of God.

[Geordie Ahmed]

C'mon no more goals please - need the points for the prediction leage

[Geordie Ahmed]

Robben goes off for Elia

[Geordie Ahmed]

90 mins up

Just stoppage time left

[Geordie Ahmed]

Van Bommel you big girl - stop acting

How has he avoided getting a yellow card in this match?

[Geordie Ahmed]

Pereira scores - very nice goal

[Amir]

Why did they take off Forlan?