NETHERLANDS PREPARED FOR URUGUAY

Forty years in the making, the Netherlands are within two victories of eliminating the anguish of never capturing the World Cup.


Though the great Clockwork Orange sides of the 1970's, led by the legendary Johan Cruyff, shook the foundations of the sport with "Totaalvoetbal", they succumbed in the finals of the 1974 and 1978 World Cup. Going through a dark period in the 1980's, the following decade under Guus Hiddink the Netherlands came within a penalty shoot-out loss to Brazil in the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup. As Bert van Marwijk's side face Uruguay on Tuesday evening in Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium in the World Cup semi finals, they have a chance to avenge the demons of the past and forever put their footprint on the great history of Dutch football.

The 2010 version of the Oranje is packed with talent including, Wesley Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt and playmaker extraordinaire Arjen Robben, with the veteran leadership of Feyenoord’s Giovanni van Bronckhorst. While they advanced almost sheepishly in the group stages, their victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals established a professional aplomb that has been rarely been seen this World Cup. Bayern München’s Arjen Robben is playing with cunning vision and confidence, rewarding Bert van Marwijk for his selection despite coming into the competition with a tenuous injury situation. The Dutch tactician will however be challenged without the services of Nigel de Jong and Gregory van der Wiel, who are suspended, with Demy de Zeeuw and Khalid Boulahrouz to likely step into the respective spots.

Uruguay, which tasted the pinnacle of the World Cup sixty years ago with a victory over Brazil have been inspiring but are far from fully stocked cupboard. Óscar Tabárez’s has been a miracle worker with La Celeste but he comes into the contest without Luis Suárez and Jorge Fucile, due to suspension and defender Diego Lugano is looking very unlikely, while Nicolás Lodeiro’s appearance in South Africa is over with a broken foot. Should Diego Lugano be unavailable, Colo-Colo veteran Andrés Scotti will likely be the first choice. Despite these absences and the many mentions of the Netherlands satisfying regrets of the past, Sniper Diego Forlán has been spellbinding and interestingly enough as his own connection to the Clockwork Orange as his father Pablo faced them as a part of Uruguay’s 1974 World Cup side that succumbed to the Dutch 2-0.

Contrary to the pre-match posturing and other nonsense in the media by Argentina’s Diego Maradona before Germany crushed them, both managers are wisely complimentary of their opposition. While Bert van Marwijk has lauded Uruguay for their inspired play noting, "if you see their passion it could serve as an example for us", Óscar Tabárez has not been shy of accolades. Citing the difference to the 2010 Netherlands line-up, the veteran leader underlined their balanced play, technical proficiency with high work rate. Ultimately, with passion and suspense running high on both sides of the pitch, this will prove to be fight to the end.

Prepared by John Davies