WORLD CUP 2010: Holland 2 Brazil 1: Dutch destroyers march on as Felipe Melo has a day to forget

Seeing red: Felipe Melo gets his marching orders for stamping on Robben

Seeing red with Robben: Brazil's Robinho is furious with a bemused Arjen Robben

It wasn't the beautiful game the world had longed for. Far from it. But it had drama, it had courage and it had resolve. Ultimately, it also had the right result.

At half-time in Port Elizabeth yesterday, there seemed little chance of Holland winning from a goal down. Their football in the first period had been poor. Where they had been assertive and aggressive in earlier matches, they seemed a little cowed.


Cut open: Robinho (right) fires Brazil ahead as the Dutch defence  disappears

Gift: Felipe Melo and keeper Julio Cesar end up putting the ball in  their own net

Turnaround: Sneijder (2nd right) heads home to put Holland 2-1 in front

But this is a Dutch side unlike many that have passed before. Playing pragmatic football for a coach that seems to have fostered a team spirit so alien to previous generations, Bert van Marwijk’s team have a sense of purpose that could yet lead to the ultimate prize in South Africa.

And so it was that Holland looked deep inside themselves at half-time to produce a second-half display to which Brazil shockingly had no answer. As the Dutch grew in strength, the South Americans wilted before them.

It was a sight as remarkable as it was unexpected.You need many things to win a World Cup. Good players and a decent coach help. But you also need strength and heart and determination.

Brazil coach Dunga announced after the game that he was giving up the job and perhaps rightly so for this was a tournament that was his side’s to win. Perhaps it was the dreadful nature of the second-half goals they conceded that so sucked the life from the South Americans.

Perhaps it was the persistent harrying of Mark van Bommel in midfield or the increasing assuredness of the two Dutch central defenders Andre Ooijer and Jonny Heitinga, who started dreadfully and then improved beyond measure.
Whatever it was, the Dutch will not care. They may not play in the manner that legends such as Johan Cruyff would like but that will not matter today. A path to their first World Cup final since 1978 has opened up.

Afterward Van Marwijk said: ‘I said when I started that my mission was to win the World Cup. People mocked me but today you could see that belief. We didn’t play well in the first half and could have lost this in this first 15 minutes. But the difference in the second half was huge.

‘We started to play our own game and once we scored the first goal we just got better and better. People have criticised us for not playing attractive football but now we have beaten the favourites.’
Having won every competitive game since qualifying started, it is perhaps no surprise that the Dutch have such confidence. Nevertheless, the manner in which they started yesterday must have shaken them to the soles of their boots.

Having lost central defender Joris Mathijsen in in the warm-up, Holland had to draft Ooijer in and the uncertainty was immediately apparent as Robinho ran through an enormous gap in the Dutch defence to slam Juan’s perfect through ball beneath Maarten Stekelenburg in the 10th minute.
For the remainder of the first period, the pattern looked to have been set. With key players Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder unable to impose themselves on the game, Holland were poor and Brazil might have taken the game away from them had they cashed in on one of three subsequent opportunities.

Juan volleyed a low cross over the bar when he should have scored in the 26th minute, Luis Fabiano headed another chance wide and then Kaka was denied by a superb Stekelenburg save after curling a shot towards the top corner.
Apart from a Sneijder free-kick that was saved comfortably by Julio Cesar, Holland had offered virtually nothing. Robben was dreadful and spent far too much time on the floor and it was clear that something had to change early in the second half.
The equaliser in the 53rd minute arrived from nowhere and changed the game. Having drawn a debatable foul from Daniel Alves, Robben worked a free-kick to Sneijder and when the Inter Milan midfielder delivered the ball to the near post, Brazil defender Felipe Melo headed past his goalkeeper Julio Cesar and in to his own net.

As the Dutch grew, Brazil withdrew. Robin van Persie was close on the hour and then Sneijder coasted forwards at a corner to convert a flick from Dirk Kuyt in the 68th minute.

With the game now turned on its head, Brazil were being asked a serious question for the first time this tournament and it was the way they failed to respond that was so disappointing.

Their cause certainly wasn’t helped when Felipe Melo stamped on Robben’s thigh and was sent off.

With that, their challenge died.

Netherlands hit back to shock Brazil

Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder and teammate John Heitinga celebrate after their 2010 World Cup quarter-final match against Brazil in Port Elizabeth July 2, 2010.

PORT ELIZABETH, July 2 — Wesley Sneijder headed a second-half winner as Netherlands came from behind to beat ten-man Brazil 2-1 today and book their place in the World Cup semi-finals.

Brazil, the five-times champions, took a 10th minute lead in the quarter-final clash through Robinho and dominated the first-half against a Dutch team which initially looked outclassed.



But the Dutch levelled out of the blue in the 53rd minute after a rare mistake from Brazil’s usually impenetrable defence, as Felipe Melo headed Sneijder’s cross into his own goal.

Then Sneijder headed a winner as the Dutch avenged a quarter-final defeat in 1994 and a semi-final defeat four years later.

Felipe Melo, returning from an ankle injury which kept him out of the second round match against Chile, set up the first goal after 10 minutes.

He threaded a 30-metre pass through the Dutch midfield and Robinho timed his run perfectly to score with a first-time shot past Maarten Stekelenburg.

The game turned niggly, although Brazil managed to produced a some flowing moves and should have extended their lead.

Juan volleyed over from close range after a jinking run on the right by Dani Alves and Stekelenburg produced a superb one-handed save to tip away Kaka’s curling effort, following a dazzling Robinho run down the left.

Just before halftime, Maicon fired into the side-netting after Luis Fabiano rolled the ball into his path.

The Dutch rarely threatened with Arjen Robben far too predictable to outfox the Brazil rearguard.

But they levelled out of the blue eight minutes after the break when Felipe Melo touched Sneijder’s looping cross-shot into his own net.

Kaka missed an excellent chance to put Brazil back ahead, side-footing wide from the edge of the area after the ball was gifted to him by a poor clearance.

They paid dearly in the 68th minute when Dirk Kuyt flicked on Arjen Robben’s corner at the near post and Sneijder headed into the net.

Shortly afterwards, Felipe Melo was sent off for stamping on Robben.

David Beckham vows to play on for England and backs Fabio Capello to stay on as manager

On the bench: Beckham is keen to play on for England and wants Capello to stay


Playing on: Beckham is already England's most capped outfield player


David Beckham maintains he is determined to have an impact on the field for England again - despite being linked with a coaching role should Fabio Capello be axed as manager. 

The 35-year-old Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder missed out on the chance to play at a fourth World Cup finals when he suffered a ruptured achilles while on loan at AC Milan. 
However, Beckham was invited along as part of the England group by Capello and sat on the bench for what turned out to be a wretched campaign, which ended with 4-1 defeat to Germany in the last 16. 



The future of Capello, whose contract runs until after the 2012 European Championships, remains uncertain as the Football Association weigh up their options.  It has been suggested former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Beckham should take charge of the side, backed up by more experienced coaches, a bit like Diego Maradona has done with Argentina.

However, Beckham, who holds the record number of appearances for an outfield England player at 115, insists he is not ready to move into the dugout just yet. 

Beckham told Yahoo! Sport: 'While I am flattered to be talked about as a coach and am always available for my country, whenever I am needed, I still see myself as a player and remain supportive of the manager.' 

The England midfielder, however, accepts the Three Lions were just not good enough in South Africa. 

'We didn't play at the level we knew that we were capable of,' said the former England skipper. 'Over the four matches we weren't good enough and regardless of the goal that never was, Germany played better than we did over the 90 minutes and deserved to go through.

'Having seen the lads in training, the spirit was good, everyone trained at a really high level, it was just disappointing we couldn't transfer that onto the pitch. 

'As a team, we have to learn from everything that's happened, come back stronger and play to our potential.'

WORLD CUP 2010: Lingerie model Larissa Riquelme promises home strip with a difference if Paraguay lift the trophy

Keep your phone safe: Larissa Riquelme cheers on her compatriots in the  Paraguayan capital of Asuncion

First Diego Maradona promised to run naked around the streets of Buenos Aires if he led Argentina to glory at the World Cup.

Now Paraguay's most famous fan has vowed to meet the pledge if Roque Santa Cruz and Co can defy the odds and lift the trophy on July 11.

The difference is that Paraguay's cheerleader is lingerie model Larissa Riquelme, who has delighted photographers already this summer by joining the crowds in Asuncion to watch her country's matches.




Ready to strip: Argentina boss Diego Maradona and Paraguay's favourite  fan Larissa Riquelme

The 24-year-old has been pictured celebrating with her mobile phone safely between her breasts, and has joked she would like to replace it with the World Cup.

And asked if she would match Maradona's indecent promise, she told Globoesporte: 'Of course, but with my body painted with the colors of Paraguay.'

WORLD CUP 2010: Cristiano Ronaldo's spitting mad at TV camera after Portugal exit

Spitting mad: Cristiano Ronaldo vents his anger in defeat in the most  unsavoury manner by spitting at TV camerman

Cristiano Ronaldo ook out his frustration by spitting towards a TV camera following Portugal's exit last night.

The Real Madrid winger spat at the feet of a cameraman who was trailing him at the final whistle.
Ronaldo endured a particularly poor night and appeared not to take kindly to being the focus of attention as he trudged off the pitch.


Ask the boss: Unhappy after Portugal's exit and a poor performance  Ronaldo directed post-match questions towards coach Carlos Queiroz

It is a far cry from the last World Cup in Germany when he winked at team-mates after getting Wayne Rooney sent off in Portugal's quarter-final victory over England.

Ronaldo was in no mood to take the blame for the 1-0 loss to Spain and appeared to point the finger at the coach who made him captain, saying only: 'Ask Carlos Queiroz.'

The most expensive player in the history of the game - he cost Real Madrid £80m when he left Manchester United a year ago -  didn't leave a major impression on the World Cup despite all the pre-tournament hype.

His statistics in South Africa tell only part of the story: a late goal in a 7-0 rout of lowly North Korea, some impressive free kicks, and one brilliant turn and shot that struck the post in Portugal's opener against the Ivory Coast.
His performance on and off the ball over six hours of competitive play didn't make him one of the stand out players but Queiroz insisted: 'He is our leader, our captain,' adding the decision to appoint the 25-year-old 'belongs to the federation and the national coach. Because we did that, you must believe we did that for the right reason.'

Ronaldo refused to speak to reporters after the game, joining England's Wayne Rooney and France's Franck Ribery in the list of superstars who will not remember the 2014 World Cup with any great fondness.

WORLD CUP 2010: Nigeria president bans his country from playing for two years after poor showing in South Africa

Dejected: Danny Shittu (left) and Kalu Uche sit dejected after being  knocked out of the World Cup

Goodluck message: President Jonathan is not happy

Nigeria president Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the national team from international competition for the next two years following their poor performance at the World Cup.



The not-so Super Eagles crashed out in the first round after picking up just one point in Group C and finishing bottom behind Argentina, South Korea and Greece.
FIFA take a dim view of political interference in national football federations and say they are yet to receive official confirmation of the president's actions.

Ima Niboro, a special adviser to Jonathan, said: 'Mr President has directed that Nigeria will withdraw from all international football competition for the next two years to enable Nigeria to reorganise its football.

'This directive became necessary following Nigeria's poor performance in the ongoing FIFA World Cup.'

FIFA responded in a statement: 'We have no official information on this matter. However, in general, FIFA's position regarding political interference in football is well known.'

In previous cases, FIFA have suspended a national association where governments have intervened in the running of the game.

The Nigerian FA have apologised for the team's showing, saying in a statement: 'Discipline will continue to be key issue in Nigerian national team camps, national youth teams will be exposed to more international tournaments and the senior teams will be made to play more friendly games.'

WORLD CUP 2010: Uruguay 1 Ghana 1 (AET Uruguay win 4-2 on pens) - Asamoah Gyan blows it after spot kick nightmare

Agony: Asamoah Gyan reacts after missing his penalty

Leaving a nasty taste in the mouth: Luis Suarez (right) blocks Chidi Odiyah's goalbound shot

Uruguay ended Ghana's dream of being the first African team in the World Cup semi-finals when they won a penalty shootout 4-2 after their quarter-final finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.

Uruguay substitute Sebastian Abreu got the decisive penalty with a cheeky chip over goalkeeper Richard Kingson to set up a semi-final with Netherlands, who shocked Brazil 2-1.


Butterfingers: Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera makes a hash of Muntari's effort

Blue order: Diego Forlan (unsighted) equalised with a stunning free kick

Long distance: Sulley Muntari lets fly

The teams could not be separated after extra-time in a thrilling contest after Asamoah Gyan hit the bar with a penalty
in the second minute of added time that was given when Uruguay striker Luis Suarez handled on the line and was sent off.

WORLD CUP 2010: Paraguay 0 Spain 1 - Five star David Villa seals a semi-final showdown with Germany

Hauled down: Gerard Pique (front) pulls down Oscar Cardozo for the first penalty

Catching practice: Iker Casillas plucked Oscar Cardozo's spot kick out of the air.Priceless: David Villa pounces to fire his fifth goal of tournament

David Villa underlined his reputation as the hottest striker in world football with a dramatic late winner that broke Paraguay hearts and confirmed quarter-final winners Spain as favourites to left their first World Cup.

Villa produced an ice-cool finish on 82 minutes after dogged Paraguay had threatened to pull off another great shock in this tournament of surprises.


No penalty: Justo Villar makes contact with Cesc Fabregas

Catching practice: Iker Casillas plucked Oscar Cardozo's spot kick out of the air

Barcelona’s new £34million man seized quickest onto a rebound after Pedro’s shot had hit the post, and drilled in a low drive that itself hit both uprights before nestling into the net.

 
Off target: Xabi Alonso saw his second spot kick saved by Justo Villar


The relief on Spanish faces was clear after a night riddled with tension that saw both sides miss penalties within 120 seconds of each other.

But when the dust settles, Spain will now fancy their chances of becoming champions after the exit of Diego Maradona’s Argentina.

They face Germany in a mouthwatering semi-final on Wednesday in a repeat of the Euro 2008 final which Spain won.

And if they get through that, they will be odds-on to defeat Holland or Uruguay in the final particularly with Villa in such form. He is currently the tournament’s leading scorer having bagged five of Spain’s six goals so far.

Relieved manager Vicente Del Bosque admitted: ‘Paraguay made it very uncomfortable for us but we’ve got through.

‘Villa is so hungry for goals, it is why he seems to be first at every rebound. Our goalkeeper Iker Casillas also played a huge part with his penalty save. He has been extraordinary in this World Cup.
Man-of-the-match Andres Iniesta added: ‘It will be a beautiful battle against Germany. We have been watching them through the World Cup and they are on the top of their game.

‘We are proud, happy and every other positive adjective you can think of to be in the semi-final.’

Del Bosque will be aware however his team will have to play a lot better than they did in the first hour against Paraguay.

Spain’s usual passing A-game deserted them and they had not mustered a shot on target when Gerard Pique pulled down Oscar Cardozo after 59 minutes to earn Paraguay a penalty.

Casillas dived to his left to keep out Cardozo’s shot and Spain immediately went up the other end and got a penalty of their own when Villa was brought down by Antolin Alcaraz as he sprinted past the Paraguay defender.

Xabi Alonso smashed his first spot-kick into the roof of the net but when referee Carlos Batres controversially ordered a retake for a minor encroachment, the former Liverpool man put his second attempt low and saw it parried by Justo Villar.

Del Bosque admitted: ‘Paraguay didn’t let us play. I had to bring on Cesc Fabregas for Fernando Torres because we couldn’t keep the ball as well as we normally do and needed another man in midfield.
‘But to reach the semi-final (for the first time since 1950) is a fantastic moment for Spanish football. We have the resources to take on any rival, including Germany.’

Paraguay had only conceded one goal in their first four matches of the World Cup so it was never going to be easy for Spain to breach the South American defence.

Even so, Spain created very little in the opening 45 minutes despite enjoying 60% possession and Torres never looked like opening his World Cup account.

Indeed, Paraguay came closest to scoring when Jonathan Santana twice went close and Hector Valdez headed in after 41 minutes only for team-mate Cardozo to be flagged offside.

Sarcastic Paraguay coach Gerard Martino said afterwards: ‘The luck didn’t go with us tonight. The disallowed goal could have gone our way. I’d like to thank Fifa for apologising to us (they apologised to England when Frank Lampard’s shot crossed the line against Germany).’
When the unhappy Torres trudged off to be replaced by Fabregas after 57 minutes, little could he imagine how the game would suddenly explode into life in his absence.

Mr Bastres incensed Spain when he spotted Pique grabbing the left arm of Cardozo at a corner.

He pointed to the spot but Cardozo – who was in tears at the end – hit his penalty at a nice height for Casillas, who was able to clutch onto the ball first-time.

The let-off spurred Spain into life and a quick counter-attack saw Villa outpace the Paraguay defence before being brought down.

Alonso rather than Villa took the kick but having scored once, he was unable to repeat the feat after Mr Bastres ordered a retake. In the melee that followed Alonso’s parried second attempt, goalkeeper Justo Villar appeared to bring down Fabregas but this time there was no spot-kick awarded.
Just as Spain feared they would be taken into extra-time, Villa was on hand to save them yet again.

Iniesta started the move down the left and Pedro hammered his cutback onto the post.

Fortunately for La Roja, it rebounded to the lethal Villa, who took one touch to control and a second to drill a low finish which bounced off the right-hand post, rolled across the line and clipped the inside of left-hand post before nestling in the net.

Manchester City’s Roque Santa Cruz had one late glorious chance to equalise for Paraguay but was foiled by Casillas.

The big debate now will be to see if Torres keeps his place against Germany after a fifth goalless game, even though Del Bosque insisted: ‘Physically, Torres is fine.’

With Villa in this form though, you would fancy Spain whoever lines up alongside him.

Argentina 0 Germany 4: Diego Maradona's dreams destroyed as Joachim Low hails 'performance of champions'

High riser: Thomas Muller (bottom right) beats Nicolas Otamendi to Bastian Schweinsteiger's free kick

Penny for your thoughts: Diego Maradona saw his attack-minded tactics ruthlessly dismantled by a rapacious German side

So Germany march on, having dismantled yet another major footballing nation. Yesterday, on a glorious winter’s evening in Cape Town as the sun set behind Table Mountain, they produced the requisite magnificence to match the location with the definitive performance of this World Cup so far.

Their achievement was a deal more significant than the 4-1 victory over England, despite the revisionist theories which are likely to abound back home, justifying the failings of Fabio Capello’s team in the light of this result.


In the wilderness: Like so many of his contemporaries, Lionel Messi failed to set the World Cup alight in South Africa

Three and easy: Arne Friedrich hit the third - his first in a German shirt - as Joachim Low's side ran riot in Cape Town, scoring their third four-goal haul of the tournament

Tap in: With the Argentine defence at sixes and sevens, Miroslav Klose pounces on Lukas Podolski's pass to fire his first of the game

Argentina, despite clear defensive failings, were genuine contenders for these finals, unlike England, but even their extraordinary attacking force of Leo Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Carlos Tevez could muster almost nothing against this rampant German side.
The dream of Diego Maradona was not to be. It always seemed an unlikely fantasy that the world’s greatest player could coax his nation to their first World Cup win since 1986, and at the final whistle he could only embrace his broken players in the centre circle. Messi, his heir apparent, was equally disconsolate, his talent snuffed out of this game.

And so for the third time since Maradona inspired victory in Mexico ’86 over Germany in the final, the Germans have ended Argentina’s World Cup.

There were heroes everywhere. Bastian Schweinsteiger was masterful in holding midfield, an object lesson for scores of aspiring English footballers. Sami Khedira, alongside him, was not far behind.

Destroyer of England Thomas Muller was again superb, so the disappointment was even deeper when he picked up a needless booking for a soft hand-ball on 35 minutes, meaning he will miss Wednesday’s semi-final.
Miroslav Klose, who has now scored more goals in these finals than he managed in the entire Bundesliga season, took his tally of World Cup strikes to 14 on his 100th appearance for his nation, equalling Gerd Muller’s German record and leaving him just one behind Ronaldo’s all-time record of 15.

‘It wasn’t just a top-class international performance but it was the performance of champions,’ said
their understandably delighted coach Joachim Löw. ‘We showed lots of ambition and lots of will to win. It was really impressive.’

Germany are quick starters and were out of their blocks even more smartly than in previous games.

Three minutes had elapsed when Schweinsteiger delivered a delightful inswinging free-kick. Nicolas
Otamendi, who had a miserable afternoon, had conceded the foul in the first place and then compounded his error, allowing Muller space to connect with a glancing header.

With the aid of a dreadful fumble from goalkeeper Sergio Romero, Muller opened the scoring with his
fourth goal of the tournament.
Thereafter, Germany were simply irresistible. The angles of their movement and the speed of passing bewitched some of the world’s greatest players. For 20 minutes, attacking in packs, they swarmed over the Argentines, led by Muller, but ably assisted by Lukas Podolski, Mesut Ozil, Schweinsteiger and Khedira.

Argentina, one of the tournament’s best passing sides, could not settle on the ball as Germany grabbed the initiative and refused to let go.

The Germans should have gone further ahead on 24 minutes, when a mistake by Gabriel Heinze allowed Muller to charge down the right and pull the ball back for Klose. Despite being just 12 yards out and with a clear sight of goal, he lifted his strike over the crossbar.

That said, Argentina had shown just prior to Klose’s glaring miss signs that they could work their way
back into the game.
Messi, largely shackled and especially awry with his free-kicks, skipped past three German players on one delightful run and when he received a pass from Carlos Tevez and slotted a delightful through-ball, only Manuel Neuer’s smart reaction prevented an equaliser.

Higuain did have the ball in the net on 35 minutes but his effort was rightly ruled out for offside.

Argentina regathered their forces at half-time and enjoyed a brief revival. But thanks to the vigilance
of Schweinsteiger and Khedira, they were restricted to long-range strikes from Angel Di Maria and Tevez.

Higuain was denied by Neuer on another occasion, yet had he elected to pull the ball back to Tevez, rather than shoot, Argentina would surely have been on level terms.


It was to prove crucial. Five minutes later, the grounded Muller somehow swung a leg to play in Podolski down the left. His cross was perfectly met by Klose, who tapped in for Germany’s second.

Argentina had nothing by way of response and, like England, capitulated.

Schweinsteiger capped his extraordinary display on 75 minutes with a delightful run past Di Maria,
Javier Pastore and Higuain to pull the ball back for Arne Freidrich, who, from three yards out, scored
his first goal for his nation.

Only the finale remained when Ozil, dashing down the left, chipped a beautiful cross into Klose who volleyed home.

Argentina had been overwhelmed and all Englishmen knew how they felt.