Holland’s Route To The Final

July 11, 2010

Group Stages

Holland 2 – Denmark 0

As usual there was a sense of expectation when it was Holland’s time to come out and play in South Africa. However even the world renowned playing beautiful football Dutch failed to light up the slow to get going World Cup.

In the first half Holland were contained by a well organised Denmark. Unforotunalty for the Dane’s all their hard work was undone seconds into the 2^nd half by a comical Daniel Agger own goal.

The build up to Dirk Kuyt’s tap in, in the closing stages had a bit more of a Holland feel about it.

Holland 1 – Japan 0

Holland made it two wins out of two but criticism was rising from the likes of Johan Cruyff that Holland were not winning with “total football”.

Again after quiet first half Holland benefitted from a second half mistake. While Sneijder’s shot possessed plenty of pace and power it was an effort the Japanese keeper should have kept out. It was just a sign of the things to come from Sneijder.

Holland 2 - Cameroon 1

Holland were guaranteed qualification, while Cameroon were the first team to be officially eliminated from the competition. This did not stop the Africans from being the first side to score against the Dutch and with 9 minutes remaining threatening to become the first team to take any points off of the men in orange. Step forward Arjen Robben to prove his fitness (he had missed Holland’s opening two games) with a shot against the post which set up John Heitinga’s winner.

Last 16

Holland 2 – Slovakia 1

On paper playing World Cup virgins Slovakia was a fairly routine route to the quarter finals and so it proved to be. Maybe more importantly to Dutch fans it proved to be the moment that Arjen Robben’s campaign began to explode into life. A big doubt before the tournament Robben showed just why Holland officials were willing to give him as long as he needed to recover from injury. Robben scored with a trade mark goal cutting in from the right hand side.

Quarter Final

Holland 2 - Brazil 1

There were high hopes that these two footballing nations renowned for beautiful attacking football were going to light up the World Cup.

Holland playing for the first time in the tournament as under dogs showed too much respect to the 5 time World Champions with Brazil 1- 0 up inside 10 minutes. Uncharacteristically for a Brazilian side Dunga’s men sat back on their lead. Holland did not appear to have the self belief in the final third until Sneijder’s cross went in off a Brazilian head (for some reason this has still been credited as one of Sneijder’s 5 goals). If Sneijder’s first strike had an element of luck about it there was nothing wrong with his second, incredibly the first time Sneijder has scored with his head.

Semi Finals

Holland 3 – Uruguay 2

For a semi final the draw could have worked out a lot worse for Holland. Favourites against surprise package Uruguay Holland were being compared to the finalists of 1974 and 1978 (and in some quarters not favourably).

The pressure of the occasion seemed to affect the Dutch before captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst threw up the romantic possibility of the last game of his career being a World Cup final. Diego Forlan levelled with an equally spectacular long distance strike. Uruguay then made the mistake of sitting back and letting Holland dictate the second half. In the space of three minutes, two moments of inspiration from two of Holland’s best players turned South Africa orange, a goal from Sneijer (with Van persie’s foot suspiciously looking offside) and a header from Robben put Holland into their first World Cup final since 1978.

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