Holland 2-1 Mexico:
Sneijder and Huntelaar Save Dutch in Dying Minutes to put Van Gaal's Side into World Cup Quarter-Finals
Daily Mail UK, 29 June 2014
- Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored a dramatic last minute penalty to put Holland through to the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals. Giovani dos Santos scored in the 48th minute to give Mexico the lead before Wesley Sneijder levelled the score.
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Match facts
Holland: Cillessen, Vlaar, De Vrij, Verhaegh (Depay 52'), Kuyt, Wijnaldum, De Jong (Martins Indi 9'), Blind, Sneijder, Robben, Van Persie (Huntelaar 75').
Subs not used: Vorm, Janmaat, de Guzman, Veltman, Kongolo, Clasie, Lens, Fer, Krul.
Bookings:
Goals: Sneijder 87', Huntelaar 90'
Mexico: Ochoa, Aguilar, Rodriguez, Marquez, Moreno (Reyes 45'), Layun, Salcido, Herrera, Guardado, Giovani (Aquino 61'), Peralta (Hernandez 74').
Subs not used: Corona, Fabian, Jimenez, Pulido, Ponce, Brizuela, Pena, Talavera.
Bookings: Aguilar
Goals: Dos Santos 48'
Referee: Pedro Proenca
Att: 58, 817
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Holland 2-1 Mexico: Match Zone
They were almost preparing the manager’s office at Manchester United for Louis van Gaal.
With Holland wilting in the stifling heat of north-east Brazil on Sunday afternoon, it appeared as though Van Gaal’s journey through this World Cup was about to be derailed.
Only three minutes of normal time remained here and the Dutch were still behind.
It looked as though Giovanni Dos Santo’s early second half stunner was going to enough to see off a Holland team that didn’t start to play until they fell behind.
But after heroic Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa had repelled all of Holland’s best attempts to equalise – including a stunning save from Stefan de Vrij - the 2010 finalists struck twice at the death to leave the central Americans on their knees.
Class: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar gives the corner flag a karate kick after his winning goal
Huntelaar celebrates scoring the dramatic late goal for the Dutch
Level: Wesley Sneijder scored in the 88th minute to drag Holland bag into the game
Drama: Sneijder pulled the Dutch back into the game with this strike in the 88th minute
Jubilant: Giovani dos Santos celebrates giving Mexico a 1-0 lead after 48 minutes
Talent: Dos Santos fired his side into the lead with a brilliant left-footed strike
Gap: Daley Blind (left) and Georginio Wijnaldum fail to stop the shot from Dos Santos
Mexican madness: Mexico's head coach Miguel Herrera celebrates after his side take a deserved lead
First Wesley Sneijder – so ineffectual all afternoon – drove the equaliser in from the edge of the penalty area after an 87th minute corner had been headed down to him.
Then – early in the six minutes of time added for a FIFA water break - Arjen Robben went to ground under a challenge in the area. In truth it looked like a dive and if it was then it wasn’t his first of the game.
But Robben had been denied a clear spot-kick late in a first half that Mexico had dominated and he may feel he was owed something.
Whatever the case, substitute Klaas Jan Huntelaar – on for a disappointing Robin van Persie – waited patiently for the penalty and when he drove the ball low to Ochoa’s right an incredibly dramatic comeback was complete.
With the temperatures hovering around the 30 degree mark by 9.30am local time, it must have been closer to 40 by kick-off.
A taste, perhaps of what Qatar will be like if the World Cup does indeed take place there in 2022.
Van Gaal had asked for a drinks time out to be factored in to the game and that was agreed to by FIFA. In the stands of the Estadio Castelao, however, the sun was just too strong for many supporters, forced to stand in shade at the back of the seating areas.
Dip: Robin van Persie (centre) and Arjen Robben (right) react after Mexico's first goal
Dangerous: Dos Santos goes close with another strike in the second half
Finish: Giovani dos Santos gave Mexico the lead in the 48th minute with a brilliant strike
On the pitch, Holland lined up as defensively as everybody expected and it was clearly going to be up to Mexico to break them down.
In many ways, the Dutch were very ordinary indeed. Fielding a back five, when Mexico had the ball holding players Nigel de Jong and Georginio Wijnaldum dropped back in to the line, effectively meaning that the central Americans were facing a defensive line of seven players whenever they advanced.
It didn’t make for an open first half. Robben and Robin van Persie were so isolated for the Dutch that most of their counters broke down. As for Mexico, they found it difficult to pierce the Holland rearguard clinically enough and when their half chances came they couldn’t take them.
A couple of shots from distance from the impressive Miguel Layan served as a marker early on before the Mexican wing-back eased past Paul Verhaegh on the Dutch left and delivered a ball across goal that nobody could apply a touch to.
Soon after, though, Mexico spurned their best chance of the first period. A cross to the far post found the Dutch all at sea and when the ball was nodded back across goal it seemed as though Hector Herrara only had to shoot first time to score.
Listen: Louis van Gaal (right) gives some instructions to Bruno Martins Indi
Foul? Holland could have been given a penalty after this Moreno tackle of Robben
Battle: Carlos Salcido challenges Van Persie for the ball during the first 45 minutes
Injury: Hector Moreno is helped by the Mexican medical staff during the first half
Inexplicably the midfielder paused, though, and when he right foot shot eventually arrived it was weakly struck and passed a foot the wrong side of the post.
That was certainly a let-off for Holland but they didn’t improve. With Nigel de Jong limping off after only ten minutes, they had to reshuffle and that didn’t help them.
A break from deep by Oribe Peralta was halted only by a combination of Ron Vlaar and Stefan de Vrij before Giovani do Santos show low from distance and Carlos Salcido forced Jasper Cillessen to save with a strike from 20 yards.
It was not relentless pressure from Mexico but they were the better side at this stage. How peculiar it would have been, then, had the Dutch reached the interval a goal ahead.
Ouch: Hector Herrera (centre) is kicked in the head by Aston Villa's Ron Vlaar (right)
Brave: Herrera managed to come away from this challenge without a serious injury
Hot: Mexico take on fluids during a cooling break with the temperature close to 40 degrees
It could have happened, too, as first Van Persie failed to control a chipped pass from Verhaegh that would have set him clear and then Robben was denied a clear penalty after being fouled both by Rafael Marquez and Hector Moreno in the 44th minute.
Perhaps Robben reputation for theatrics worked against him. Whatever the case, it was a poor call from the Portuguese referee and within five minutes of the second half starting Mexico benefited to take the lead.
Some goal it was, too, as Dos Santos – who has had a good World Cup – ran on to a dinked pass to volley expertly in to the corner with his left foot from 22 yards. Just another super goal to keep this remarkable World Cup rolling forwards.
Now the Dutch had something to chase and to their credit they gathered impetus immediately and should have equalised just before the hour. The Dutch set pieces hadn’t been the best but a corner from the right found Stefan de Vrij unmarled four yards out.
Needle: Dos Santos (left) and Bruno Martins Indi argue after a tackle from the Dutchman
Duel: Andres Guardado (left) and Georginio Wijnaldum battle for the ball in the heat of Fortaleza
Down: Arjen Robben is tackled by Hector Moreno during the first half at the Estadio Castelao