Posted in News on Jul 05, 2010.
Uruguay winners of the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 and then champions again in 1950 were last in the semi-final’s in 1970 when they were knocked out by a strong Brazilian team that included the legendary Pele.
Since 1970 they have been the nearly men of South American football given that they were the last of the 32 team’s to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup it will be ironic if they make the final and go onto lift the trophy.
The history between The Netherlands and the Cape of Good Hope and the city of Cape Town is well documented the Dutch ruled the Cape for a long time and shaped the history of the peninsula in many ways, almost three centuries later 23 men from the former Colony can help re-shape history in a different way.
The last time Holland made it to a World Cup Final was in 1978 when they were beaten by Argentina in Buenos Aires, their last trip to the semi-finals saw them lose to Brazil on penalties in 1998.
Of the two team’s one would say that the Dutch have played the more flowing football and should cruise to the final, Uruguay had defied all the odds and like Argentina were lead to glory by Diego Maradona in 1986. At this World Cup Diego Forlan has been their inspiration, dull at times and frustratingly defensive it has taken Forlan’s genius particularly from dead ball situations to put Uruguay in the final four.
All of Africa were screaming foul when Luis Suarez handled Dominic Adiyiah’s goal bound header on the line in the final minute of extra time, a game the ‘Black Stars’ eventually lost on penalties in the previous round.
From a tactical point of view it turned out to be a master stroke as Suarez sacrificed himself so that his team could win the game, the Uruguayan’s will be without him and defender Jorge Fucile as well as Diego Godin while Captain Diego Lugano faces a race against time to be fit for the game.
The Dutch have evaded all of their previous problems of in fighting and finger pointing and have shown an uncharacteristically united front in this tournament, they are now the only team remaining in the competition who have won every game. They left the group stages with the full complement of points, according to striker Robin Van Persie it was key that they did so as it allowed them to keep their momentum going.
Pre-tournament concern’s to the fitness of midfield work horse Robin Van Persie have been brushed aside as the Bayern Munich midfielder who scored in the round of 16 victory of Slovakia was sublime in the win over Brazil in the last eight, Wesley Sneijder the man of the match from the win over Brazil has taken his game to new heights through the World Cup and the Real Madrid reject is proving to be anything but.
Robin Van Persie has been given a clean bill of health for the game with Uruguay boosting The Netherlands, their coach Bert Van Marwijk will also use defender John Heitinga to mark Forlan the two played together a few years ago at Spanish club Atletico Madrid and Heitinga will able to draw on that experience to keep the dangerous striker in check.
Expect this game to be an open an exciting encounter which the Netherlands should manage to come through.
