Netherlands will face Argentina in the second semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2014 as the tournament moves closer to finding a winner. The big match will be played at the Arena de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo on Wednesday, July 9.
The Dutch are the only team in the tournament who have not won it on a previous occasion. However, they have performed encouragingly in the recent past. The Oranje finished as runners up in South Africa as Spain went on to win the game in extra time while their performance in the Euros were also up to speed.
Argentina have qualified for the semis for the first time since 1990 when West Germany defeated them in Italy. Lionel Messi and company will be keen to progress into the final and win the competition in enemy territory as they look to make the most of their opportunity.
Louis Van Gaal’s side needed a penalty shoot-out to get past Costa Rica in a match where the Dutch hit the post a number of times and enjoyed the majority of the possession. However, the failure to find the back of the net necessitated penalties and a surprising decision from Van Gaal to bring on Tim Krul with seconds of extra time to play did the trick for the Dutch.
Argentina played some good football against the Belgians as they won 1-0 thanks to an eighth minute goal from Gonzalo Higuain. Higuian’s finish was top drawer and the Argentines did not need another goal as Belgium rarely threatened. Although chances were few and far between, Higuain did spurn another golden opportunity to put the result beyond doubt later on in the game as he hit the cross bar.
As the two sides prepare to lock horns on Wednesday though, the prospect of a tactical battle between Van Gaal and Alejandro Sabella looms large. In terms of the quality in the side, both teams look well balanced on paper at least.
There is an Arjen Robben for a Messi, a Robin van Persie for Higuain, and a Wesley Sneijder for Angel di Maria. Thus, this game will be a real test of skill, determination, and tactics. Although it is difficult to predict what might happen on the pitch, the five man Dutch defence look better equipped to handle the Argentina attack than Sabella’s defence.
If Martin Demichelis were assigned to mark Robben and Garay was on to van Persie, it could be a tough night for the South Americans. However, they do have a wizard in Messi and the world waits eagerly to see him light up the semifinal in a way that only he can.