Semi Finals: Day 1

Uruguay Out Despite Dutch Courage

       

        Holland   3-2   Uruguay

Holland are through to a third World Cup final and first since 1978 having seen off a brave Uruguayan effort in Cape Town.  

Tuesday's first semi final in may not have been the best game of this or any tournament but it did contain more goals than any semi-final since West Germany's penalty shoot out victory over France in Spain 28 years ago. That game finished 3-3, but was only 1-1 after 90 minutes. Nevertheless, it will still out last this game in the memory of neutral observers.

There may have been goals but the quality of both teams was poor for much of the game. In the first half the Dutch, despite taking a lead, were careless in their passing and unable to hold onto the ball for long periods, even when the game opened up after taking the lead through Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The Dutch left back rolled back the years with a goal reminiscent of this (5:18) against Ireland ten years ago. 

For a few minutes the Oranje stepped up the pace but once Demmy De Zeeuw was kicked in the face by Martin Caceres the game slowed down again, allowing Uruguay to recover from the shock of conceding such a shockingly spectacular goal. 

In time the South Americans clawed their way back into the game as the Dutch players failed to make the most of their advantage. Their attacking quartet were not playing in tandem and any time Robin van Persie got the ball he lost it to a Uruguayan defender. 

Diego Forlan did his best to trump van Bronckhorst by equalizing from distance but in his case the Netherlands goalkeeper gave him a helping hand. The captain made space for himself 25 yards out by faking a shot with his right before shooting with his left. The unsighted Maarten Stekelenburg could only get a weak hand to Forlan's swerving shot and it was 1-1 at half time. 

Holland's inability to control the game was a worry. The potential for an upset became very real once the Celeste levelled the scores.

Rafael van der Vaart's introduction in place of de Zeeuw may have been enforced through injury but it was also an encouraging suggestion that Bert van Marvijk had decided to throw another man forward. If their was one thing the Dutch didn't want it was penalties and a goal was needed to avoid that fate.

Footballers from the Netherlands subconsciously view penalty shoot outs as unsporting. If one cant win on the pitch in 120 minutes then one doesn't deserve to win at all. Defeats in 1996, 1998 and 2000 have proven that. Most famous of the three was the European Championship semi final of 2000 against Italy. Everything was on Hollands side, they were in Amsterdam and playing against ten men but they transpired to miss two penalties in 90 minutes and then lost the penalty shootout 3-1. 

No spot kicks have been needed in South Africa so far as the Dutch scored the goals they needed to reach the final. A borderline offside was ignored by the Uzbeki assistant referee for the second goal. Van Persie didn't touch the ball but was definitely active and interfering with play. His right foot may have been beyond the last defender but it didn't connect with the ball and Wesley Sneijder's strike was allowed to stand. The Uruguayans were unimpressed but many would argue it wasn't offside at all. 

Minutes later Arjen Robben settled matters with a rare headed goal. The flying Dutchman diverted Dirk Kuyt's cross in off the bottom of the post, leaving Fernando Muslera motionless in the goal. With the score at 3-1 the match was all but over and South American heads clearly dropped.

They fought on however although they never looked like scoring, and Diego Forlan's withdrawal looked to be the end. Forlan was central to everything his team did once again and has raised his stature and cemented his legacy with his performances in South Africa. 

A smart free kick in injury time gave Maximiliano Pereira the chance to close the gap but it was too late. La Celeste threw a few hopeful balls into the 18-yard box but their aerial bombardment came to nothing. Despite the defeat they can leave with their heads held high. Their achievement of reaching this stage has been surprising and a romantic story. For those who thought that Uruguayan football was dead, they showed that they are still capable of fighting for World Cups despite their size and the continued expansion of the game around the world.

Holland will count themselves fortunate to be in the final and they will be major underdogs on Sunday no matter who they play. They rely to heavily on players like Mark van Bommel and, although absent today, Nigel de Jong.

They don't encapsulate what it is to be a Dutch footballer, a factor that has made many old romantics turn against this new generations style of play. Their two central midfielders spent more time fouling than playing football and not only was it a miracle than van Bommel wasn't yellow carded against Brazil, but hat he wasn't sent off or booked earlier against Uruguay. For all his persistent fouling, the Bayern Munich captain was only booked in the final minute for kicking the ball away. 

If Holland are going to take away the trophy from Soccer City on Sunday night, they will need to step up another level.

Holland v Uruguay: Preview

        World Cup Semi Final

                Cape Town

            Tuesday June 6th
          7:30pm (Irish Time)

Tonight's first World Cup semi final in Cape Town is seen as a fore gone conclusion. The Netherlands are expected to beat Uruguay and reach a third World Cup final especially having overcome favourites Brazil in the quarter finals. Uruguay's passage was slightly more fortuitous as they relied on the crossbar to get by Ghana in an emotionally charged game in Soccer City.

The red card awarded to Luis Suarez for his hand ball will see him miss the semi final but not heir final game, be that the final or the third place match in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. The Holland based striker is not the only major absentee from this semi final however.

Uruguay are also without the suspended defender Jorge Fucile and potentially captain Diego Lugano, who came off injured in the first half of the quarter final with the Black Stars. Nicloas Lodeiro, billed as the next big star of Uruguayan football, is out for the remainder of the tournament having sustained a broken bone in his foot. The absence of up to three guaranteed starters should hinder La Celeste's changes of reaching the final once again.

In good news, Diego Godin should return from injury to replace Lugano while Barcelona misfit Martin Caceres is ready to step in for Fucile. Oscar Tabarez looks likely to return to 4-4-2 with Suarez absent, meaning there is no place for Friday's hero, Sebastian Abreu.

Holland are not without problems of their own. Nigel de Jong and Gregory van der Weil are both suspended having picked up second yellow cards against Brazil. The absence of de Jong in particular could be crucial for the Dutch. He may not be everyone's favourite player but the Manchester City midfielder knows how to break up opposition attacks and is not afraid to put in a tackle, which is why he's suspended in the first place.

Khalid Boularhouz and Demy de Zeeuw have no game time thus far and will be the two most likely to be thrown in at the deep end tonight.

Both sides have reached this point with contrasting performances. Uruguay's progress has been something of a fairytale. The two time winners have not reached such a stage since 1970 and their prominence as an international football nation has long been forgotten. What an irony it would be if the one team to break the monopoly of the World Cup by the footballing superpowers was the one country who have done it before. With only 3.5 million people they are already the smallest country to have won the trophy but to do so in this era would be an unprecedented achievement.

The Uruguayans have been one of the tournaments most impressive teams. The are strong at the back but attack with purpose, having such a talented forward line helps in that regard. They are organised but possess a goal threat. Winning their group has ultimately been the catalyst for their adventure to the semi finals.

Holland meanwhile, were always expected to reach the quarter finals. Their showdown with Brazil was always going to be the defining game of their tournament. Victory would mean a successful 2010 but defeat would suggest failure. Win they did and now a place in the final is expected with only Uruguay standing in their way.

Despite beating Brazil, the Dutch have stuttered their way through their first five games. Teams have defended against them more often than not and the penetration has not always been their to break down negative sides like Japan and Denmark. The return of Arjen Robben has seen an improvement and greater variation in their options in the midfield. That may prove to be the difference tonight.

The two countries have met at a World Cup only once before. Hollands emergence as a footballing power coincided with Uruguay's demise. In 1974 the Dutch beat the South Americans 2-0 in Germany. Uruguay have won their other three encounters though.

Also, Uruguay have broken the record for World Cup matches played in a single tournament. 25 games have been negotiated over the past three years to get to this point, including 20 to qualify and five in South Africa already. Two more are guaranteed.

Tonight's game should be a tight affair as both teams are on the cusp of achieving something unexpected. The Dutch will just be hoping it doesn't go to penalties.

Probable Teams:

Holland (4-5-1): Stekelenburg, Boularhouz, Heitinga, Mathijsen, van Bronckhorst, de Zeeuw, van Bommel, Kuyt, Sneijder, Robben, van Persie.

Uruguay (4-4-2): Muslera, M Perriera, Godin, Victorino, Carceres, A Perreira, Gargano, Alevano Rios, Perez, Cavani, Forlan     

Quarter Finals: Day 2

A New Low

      Argentina   0-4   Germany

Germany continued their unstoppable march to the World Cup final on Saturday in Cape Town . Jogi Low's team thoroughly dismantled Diego Maradona's Argentina despite being the slight underdogs beforehand.

Argentina had steamrolled their way to the last 8, wiping the floor with their group opponents and even Mexico, although with the help of an assistant referee. Their attacking improvisation was no match for Germany's calculated approach this time however as El Diego's luck finally ran out. The South Americans were finally shown up for what they are once they came into contact with a worthy adversary.

For four games Argentina had been impressive going forward but suspect at the back. While they may have got away with it against Nigeria and Greece, a team with no right-back and no Walter Samuel was always going to struggle once formidable opposition presented themselves.

It only took three minutes for Die Mannschaft to unlock the door. Tomas Muller has been an ever present for Bayern Munich over the past season, even playing in a Champions League final, but they jury was still out before the tournament, but not now. The German forward headed home Bastian Schweinsteiger's free-kick unchallenged from no more than ten yards out. Argentina's defensive failings had been exploited before the game had even got going.

Maradona must have thought that his attacking options were capable of prevailing whoever they faced. In dropping Juan Sebastian Veron for Maxi Rodriguez the 1986 winning captain threw caution to the wind, assuming his star studded attack could compensate for any goals conceded. He assumed wrong.

With no method to their madness, the striking triumvirate had no answer to falling behind. Leo Messi was forced to drop deep into his own half to get moves started which took him to far away from the areas where he is most dangerous, Carlos Tevez huffed and puffed but to no avail and Gonzalo Higuain has been no more than a goal poacher in this tournament but he had no scraps to feed off on this occasion. 

Between the first and second goals an hour passed, a period in which the albiceleste had a lot of possession but did little with it. Despite raising the tempo at the start of the second half no real chances were created. Messi and Tevez were restricted to shooting from range but as seen throughout this tournament, such a tactic is regularly pointless.

With their goal advantage the Germans were able to soak up the limited pressure they were under and counter attack at will. A defensive lapse let Miroslav Klose in for the second. Schweinsteiger's dribbling opened up the Argentine defence for Arne Friendrich to score his first international goal and the scoring was rounded off by Klose in what was the move of the match.

The Bayern substitute has now scored 14 World Cup goals, an unbelievable achievement for a striker with such a modest club record. Klose now sits just one goal behind Brazil's Ronaldo and is level with countryman Gerd Muller, although matching his goal rate of 68 in 62 games is impossible. The Polish born striker will need to score twice in the next two games to usurp the Brazilians four year old record because a fourth World Cup appearance in 2014 is unlikely.

Once the third goal was scored the Argentines fell apart. With absolutely no way back at that stage the Europeans were able to toy with their opponents. A chorus of oles accompanied every pass towards the end of the game, much as it did in the England game.

Any previous talk of revenge for 2006 had been forgotten. Diego Maradona's team were well and truly beaten and could have no complaints this time. Maradona lit up the tournament with his pitch side theatrics and humorous press conferences but his abilities as a coach have been unveiled.    

Spain Ride Their Luck

         Paraguay   0-1   Spain

Oscar Cardozo had the chance to put his country into a first World Cup semi final. His penalty after an hour could have put Paraguay in front, a position from which Spain famously fail to recover from. Conceding first to the US and Switzerland have resulted in Spain's only two defeats in their past 53 games but Cardozo's miss was just the spur la seleccion needed.

David Villa has carried this Spanish team on his back. Barcelona's new signing has scored five of his country's six goals since that initial defeat to the Swiss. His 80th minute goal settled this game once and for all and without him they wouldn't be facing the Germans on Wednesday. From that point the European Champions passed the ball around confidently and didn't give the Paraguayans any hope for an equalizer as the minutes ticked away.   

Many thought that Paraguay would be spent from their endeavours to get to this stage, especially following the 120 minutes of boredom against Japan. Coach Gerardo Martino made six changes however and his side showed renewed vigour and energy from their second round game. 

The South Americans pressed high up the pitch and threw themselves into every challenge with confidence. Spain didn't get the chance to string any meaningful passes together. Andres Iniesta couldn't get into the game and Fernando Torres was as profligate as ever as Spain struggled to create openings. In fact, they  were luck to go into the break level as Paragauy had a goal disallowed for no apparent reason.  

The penalty madness half way through the second half will define this game in years to come and it could have decided this game had either team scored, especially the South Americans. Cardozo's tame effort was followed immediately by Xabi Alonso's at the other end. The Real Madrid midfielder scored his initial spot kick but had to retake it due to encroachment. He missed the second attempt.

A second look at the Paraguayan attempt shows the same infractions taking place. Perhaps the referee subconsciously felt guilty for awarding a penalty so soon after the first and hoped to even things out by making Alonso take his penalty again. If that was the case his plan worked perfectly as both teams cancelled each other out. 

Ten minutes after the madness Villa popped up to slot home off both posts after Pedro's initial shot bounced back off the upright into the path of Villa. That goal signalled the end of what was a valiant Paraguay effort and it was the first they conceded since Daniele de Rossi equalized for Italy in their opening match. 

Spain will need to improve if their to conquer Germany once again, as they did two years ago. Reliance on one man will not suffice against such a potent attack. One gets the feeling the Spanish defence is always one step away from a disaster and no other team are as capable of exploiting those deficiencies than the Germans.    

Felipe's Melodrama

    Brazil   1-2   Holland                       

       Port Elizabeth

World Cup favourites Brazil are out of the tournament following a cataclysmic second half collapse against the Dutch. The result has since triggered the resignation of Dunga as head coach.

The three previous World Cup encounters between the sides have all been World Cup classics. Their meeting in 1974 sparked the unstoppable rise of total football and the end of Brazil's samba style. The 1994 quarter final saw five second goals with the Brazilians edging out the Oranje with a late Branco free kick. France '98s greatest game took place in Marseille's Velodrome in the semi finals but Holland's indifference to penalties cost them a deserved final place.

Unfortunately the 2010 installment won't be as fondly remembered. Constant whistle blowing, cynical tackling and an awful playing surface limited the chances for any open free flowing football, the like of which is demanded from these two nations.

The mental collapse of Felipe Melo was what finally sealed the deal. His own goal and subsequent sending off summed up the Brazilian fall from grace in the second half. Their tempermant completely disappeared once the equalizer came and even more so following Holland's second goal. How Holland managed to turn this game around is a mystery as it wasn't particularly through their own doing but moreso down to Brazil's lack of discipline.  

The Selacao produced glimpses of their attacking potential in the first half. Clever interplay from the front three and the enthusiasm of Robinho in particular saw the Brazilians take control and the opening goal wasn't long in coming. Future villain Felipe Melo threaded a ball through the non existent Dutch defence from the half way line which Robinho ran on to and volleyed home first time. The goal was the epitomy of the game up that point. The South Americans were comfortable on the ball and confident of their ability to win the game. Meanwhile the dutch defense was clearly nervous and was caught out continuously before and after the tenth minute opener.

By half time their tally could have been as many as three as Kaka and Maicon came close. The under performing Netherlands players were happy to leave the field only one down. Their passes weren't sticking, Arjen Robben was indecisive with his dribbling and Nigel de Jong and Mark Van Bommel were living dangerously in midfield.

The Dutch never looked like scoring as the second half got under way. Robin van Persie couldn't control the ball and was easily snuffed out by Juan and Lucio. A rash tackle by the already yellow carded Michel Bastos changed the game. The Lyon right midfielder, yet Brazilian left back, was lucky not to be sent off but justice came only second later. A quick free kick resulted in a Wesley Sneijder cross. Buzz Lightyear lookalike Julio Cesar came for the cross but got nowhere near it as it bounced in off Melo's head. It was the first own goal Brazil have conceded in nearly 100 World Cup matches.

It wasn't much longer before the smallest player on the pitch scored the winning goal. Sneijder diverted Dirk Kuyt's flicked header into the top corner to score the first headed goal of his career. How the diminutive midfielder found himself in the space to produce such an outcome is unforgivable. The famed Brazilian defence was nowhere to be seen. It was as though their dominating confidence from the first half had evaporated after the first goal they shipped.

Melo's sending off sealed their fate. His stamp on Robben showed how he had lost his head, much like the rest of his team, who were becoming increasingly frustrated with the stop start nature of the game. Melo's temperament had been questioned after the game with Portugal as the Juventus player seemed more interested in fouling opponents than playing the beautiful game. Any worries were clearly justified.

The next goal looked more likely to come from Holland on the counter attack than from the Selecao, especially with Luis Fabiano inexplicably off the pitch. The five time champions huffed and puffed but never looked like turning things around, and even if they had the Dutch would surely have won out eventually against ten men.

Brazilians may now get their wish. Defensive tactics have left a shadow over the winning teams of 1994 and 2002 and this inglorious exit may be the final straw. With the Mundial on home soil in 2014 a return to the Brazil of Pele and Garrincha will be demanded, as opposed to the uninspiring team Dunga has put together in the past four years. The Copa America and Confederations Cup are in the bag but they half failed spectacularly when it mattered most.

One couldn't help but feel disappointed for certain players however. This was supposed to be Kaka's tournament but he never stamped his authority on it and Lucio has been the world's best defender for the last year but as captain he has failed to deliver a sixth crown.

Holland may not be everyone's cup of tea even in their own country but they move on to the semi finals, only one step away from a third final. Could this finally be the year that the Oranje claim the trophy they should have collected in 1974?   


Ghana Pay Penalty

Ghana   1 (2)-(4) 1   Uruguay

          Soccer City

Africa's last remaining hope are out of the tournament after losing a penalty shoot out to Uruguay. Never has an African nation come closer to reaching the semi finals of a World Cup but when they were practically handed a place in the last four Asamoah Gyan failed to right his name in history.

Gyan last second penalty was the product of Luis Suarez'x hand ball and sending off. The Ajax striker prevented a certain goal with his arms and effectively cheated the Black Stars out of a semi final place but the Ghana penalty taker should have been able to win the game from 12 yards out. A "sporting injustice" had taken place, according to Ghana coach Milovan Rajavec. Unfortunately the rules dictate that a penalty be awarded. In Rugby Union, for example, a penalty try is awarded is instances when a try is inevitable but illegally prevented by the defending side. FIFA may want to look at reinterpreting their own rules. Without Suarez's interference a goal was certain and Ghana would be in the semi finals.

One of the games of the tournament was only enhanced by the chaos of the closing minutes in Johannesburg's Soccer City as both sides attacked endlessly in confidence of winning the game outright. The negativity that encapsulated Paraguays victory over Japan was not on show in this quarter final as both nations believed that they were capable of winning with their own styles of play. Ghana throw caution to the wind and pose an unpredictable threat as eve their own players don't know what they're going to do next. On the other hand the Uruguayans attack with purpose in the confidence that their defensive line can handle all comers.

Urugauy's position as favourites was justified in the manner they began the game. Ghana couldn't get out of their own half as the Celeste pressed for an early goal, as they did against the South Koreans last Saturday. Richard Kingson was forced into a string of saves as he kept Suarez at bay. The Black Stars began to assert their own style as the game wore on however with Kevin Prince Boateng being particularly lively and enthused. After a first half in which both teams could have scored in was Sulley Muntari, Ghana's forgotten man, who opened the scoring with a swerving long range effort than was bending away from the goalkeeper.

That goal was a welcome reward for the Ghanaian endeavours of the first 45 but as they would have expected Uruguay were back in the ascendancy as the second half kicked off. Diego Forlan's dipping and swerving free kick from the left hand corner of the 18 yard box was the least they deserved. The equalizer could easily have been followed by a winner as the Uruguayans found plenty of space in the African half of the pitch. Suarez once more, had the best chance of the half to settle the game once and for all but he fluffed his lines.

Ghana were surely happy to reach extra time at all, much as they were against the US last Saturday in Rustenburg. The mayhem of the final minute came about from a free kick that should never have been. Ghana almost took full advantage from the penalty spot after the ball flew around the penalty area like a pin-ball. Suaez's handball saw him leave the field in tears as he though he had cost his country its dream. The sheer relief he felt was clear for all to see as he jumped around the tunnel upon realising Gyan had missed.

John Mensah can take equal responsibility for the defeat. His one pace run up was always going to result in a missed penalty. Before the spot kicks momentum and the ascendancy were always going to be on the side of the South Americans, and that proved to be the case. Sebastien Abreu slotted home his teams winning kick with effortless and poise. It broke the hearts of a continent and especially Asamoah Gyan but Uruguay return to the big time for the first time in 50 years. A third World Cup might just be possible for a nation of 3.5 million people.    

FIFA Discard Controversial Referees

The referees at the centre of Sunday’s two World Cup controversies have both been sent home from the tournament in South Africa.


The referees whose decisions denied Frank Lampard a goal in England‘s game with Germany and all but ended Mexico‘s chances against Argentina have both been discarded by FIFA.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter was forced to apologise to the English FA following the officials’ failure to spot that Lampard’s first-half shot had bounced two feet over the line when it crashed down off the crossbar.

Match officials, Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda and his assistants, Mauricio Espinosa and Pablo Fandino, have been told they are not being retained for the quarter-final stages and beyond.

The officials who failed to spot that Carlos Tevez was a few yards offside when he scored Argentina’s crucial first goal against Mexico have also been asked to pack their bags.

The Italian referee involved, Roberto Rosetti, was also one of the referees that Harry Kewell accused of favouring the bigger nations. The Australian was sent off by Rosetti for a handball in their group stage game with Ghana.

With only eight games remaining in the tournament FIFA have cut a number of referees. Mali’s Koman Coulibaly, who denied the US a legitimate late goal against Slovenia in his first World Cup game, has also suffered an early exit for his troubles.

France’s Stephane Lanoy has suffered the same fate for his role in the sending off of Brazil’s Kaka against Ivory Coast. The Brazilian playmaker was sent off for apparently shoving and elbowing Galatasaray’s Kader Keita but television footage clearly portrayed a playacting Ivorian.

His failure to control the game in what was a heated second half has ultimately cost him a place in the latter stages of the World Cup. World Cups, it seems, are decided by the smallest of details, even for referees.

Round of 16: Day 4

Paraguay Prevail Eventually

Japan   0 (3)-(5) 0   Paraguay  AET

Japan and Paraguay played out what was the only goalless game of the second round in Pretoria. While it may have been the dullest game of the last four days it still managed to end in high drama as Paraguay won in what was the tournament's first penalty shoot out.

Both sides qualified for this stage with impressive performances in their respective groups but both appeared to be more afraid of defeat at this stage as both were pursuing their first ever quarter final spot.

Paraguay topped Group F ahead of Italy and comfortably beat fellow qualifiers Slovakia, while Japan were one of only two second placed teams to win two of their three games.

Despite that, they both played out a dire encounter at Loftus Versfeld. Neither side seemed interested in going for the win, focusing mainly on not conceded, especially the Japanese.

The Blue Samurai played an intense, emotional affair with Denmark only days earlier and they looked to have used up all their energy in getting this far. Their lack of ambition swung the balance in favour of Paraguay, who probably did more of the two to actually win the game in 120 minutes.

The power of penalties can never be underestimated even after the most boring of games. Even with all that occurred in the previous two hours the shoot out had the drama and emotion to make this a memorable match up. The villain of the piece was Yuichi Komano, who struck his country's third penalty off the crossbar. His tears summed up the magnitude of his miss and the burden he'll have to bare for the remainder of his life.

Paraguay meanwhile slotted five perfect penalties to win by five to three in what was an emotional experience for all, including Paraguay's Argentinian manager Gerardo Martino who was in floods of tears after Oscar Cardozo scored the winning spot kick.

The South Americans move on to play European champions Spain in the quarter finals. Further defensive expertise should be expected in a game that may bare similarities to Paraguay's second round meeting with France in 1998, which was decided by a Laurent Blanc golden goal.    


Seleccion oust Selaccao

         Spain   1-0   Portugal

Spain defeated their Iberian neighbours in Cape Town on Tuesday night in what was a fully deserved victory over a poor Portugal team. La Furia Roja now go on to face Paraguay in the quarter finals in confidence that their World Cup dream is still alive despite losing their first game to Switzerland.

One goal from David Villa was enough to secure victory against a Portugal team that was lacking in direction going forward. The Spanish made the most of the Portuguese ineptitude by taking one of the few chances that came their way.

For all their problems, the Portuguese were probably the better side in the first half. They controlled the ball better and enjoyed a lot of possession. Spain were thwarted every time they tried to create something and the defence was comfortable for the most part.

Their problems were more evident in the second half. Cristiano Ronaldo was selfish and wasteful and there looked to be no cohesion between the midfield trio, the wingers and Hugo Almeida up front. With the Portuguese unlikely to score, Spain could patiently bide their time in belief that another chance would come.

David Villa eventually popped up for la seleccion and gave them the goal that took them into the quarter finals for the third time in five tournaments. Their previous recent appearances ended in defeat in 1994 and 2002 but there is a feeling that this time may be different.

For the remainder of the game the Spanish passed the ball around effortlessly, almost creating chances at will for Sergio Ramos, Fernando Llorente and Villa, while the Portuguese persevered without an end result.     

For Portugal, the inquest will begin. Their own goals came against North Korea and they never looked like scoring against Ivory Coast, Brazil and Spain. Some players looked uninterested and Carlos Queiros is clearly not to everybody's taste.

Spain are not perfect either though. This is not the free flowing excitement of 2008 unfortunately mainly because both Fernando Torres is out of sorts and Sergio Busquets is on the pitch. Vicente del Bosque has preferred a safety first approach with two defensive midfielders as opposed to his predecessors approach of just having one in Marcos Senna. 

For Spain to thrill us once again they should revert to the formation of 2008 with David Silva replacing Busquets with Xabi Alonso reverting to the more defensive role and Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Silva allowed to pass and roam at will. Such freedom looks unlikely however. The opening defeat has left Spain worried of a repeat scenario and not conceding has taking precedence.       

  

Round of 16: Day 3

Clockwork Orange Keeps Ticking Over

Holland   2-1   Slovakia

Holland's World Cup has been so far fairly low key. Routine yet hard fought group stage victories were followed up by another such win on Monday afternoon against Slovakia.

Goals from the returning Arjen Robben and the diminutive Wesley Sneijder were enough to see the Oranje through to a first quarter final since meeting Brazil in America in 1994. The performance wasn't totally convincing once again however.

The Slovaks created a number of openings for themselves in the second half that forced Maarten Stekelenburg to finally prove his worth as the new Dutch number one. If the Eastern Europeans has kept their concentration Hollands second goal may never even have come and their last minute consolation may not have been in vain.

That would have been a misleading scoreline however. The presence of Robben clearly caused problems for the Slovaks and the Dutch created a host of chances, particularly early in the second half.

Their failure to find a second goal could have cost them as their opponents finally began to get a foothold in the game but Martin Skrtel's lapse in concentration allowed Dirk Kuyt to set up Sneijder for a tap in. Skrtel was arguing with the referee as Holland took a quick free kick.

Robert Vittek scored his fourth World Cup goal with the final kick of the game but it was too late to launch a comeback. Over all it has been a successful first World Cup for the Slovaks who will have been delighted to beat Italy to reach the second round in the first place. Anything after that would have been a bonus. 

Holland will need to raise their game if they're to overcome this Brazil team. Confidence will be high after twelve consecutive competitive victories but Brazil offer a totally new proposition. They possess superior defensive qualities to any other side and are also ruthless going forward. Those who suggest that the Dutch will finally play a team as open as themselves may be mistaken come Friday afternoon.

Netherland's teams have a reputation for in-fighting and this year now looks no different. Robin van Persie is believed to have have been angered by his substitution. The Arsenal striker would rather it was his nemesis Sneijder to have been withdrawn rather than himself and coach Bert van Marvijk was forced into calling a team meeting to discuss the matter.

With the Oranje so close to a first World Cup final since 1978 it will be a surprise if such insignificant matters will get in their way of giving the Selecao a good game on Friday.     

Brazil Finally Signal Intent

Brazil   3-0   Chile

Chile's World Cup dream came to an abrupt end in Ellis Park on Monday as Brazil finally showed the world what they are capable of.

The Samba boys were unconvincing in the group stages and only occasionally dazzled in topping their group. North Korea became hard to break down, Ivory Coast became an overly physical proposition and the final game with Portugal became no more than a dead rubber as both teams had already qualified.

In Johannesburg the Brazilians showed how defensively strong they now are, as well as how ruthless and clinical they can be in attack. The attacking triumvirate of Robinho, Kaka and Luis Fabiano all played their part in helping amass their three goal haul.

The absentees, Felipe Melo and Elano, were not overly missed as Brazil ran out comfortable winners. Once Juan and Fabiano put away two quick fire goals mid way through the first half the game was already over as a contest.

Chile were without three front line players and were clearly spent from their earlier endeavours in the group stages. Having come through one of the tournaments toughest groups and experiencing so many emotions even to reach this stage the Chileans looked incapable of turning around any deficit against the boys in canary yellow. 

Chances were hard to come by and Brazil looked extremely comfortable both in defence and when they went forward. Chile's own expansive game plan played into the hands of the Selecao, who looked like they could score whenever they felt like doing so. 

Warning signs are there for all to see now. Holland will have their work cut out both to contain their attack and break down their Champions League winners in defence.