Full Coverage: World Cup 2014
With barely two minutes to go for the final whistle, Arjen Robben swerved in a corner kick, Klas-Jaan Huntelaar knocked it down and Wesley Sneijder blasted the equaliser home.
The ridiculously incredible fairytale of the Netherlands continued and now they are ready to face Argentina at Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena in the second semifinal. Two things have not left the Dutch since the day they started their campaign - their courage to hang in there till really late, and controversy.
If Robben's theatrics earned them a penalty in added-on time then Tim Krul's heroics in the tie-breaker took them into the semifinals. Krul gave a mouthful to all the Costa Rican penalty-takers as they prepared for the shot. The Newcastle United keeper copped a fair bit of criticism for his gamesmanship but he defended himself at the press conference at their Rio training centre on Sunday.
"I didn't shout anything "I didn't shout anything nasty at them. I just told them that I knew where they were going. I was obviously trying to get inside their heads and it worked yesterday."
A few other things have also worked for the Dutch in their journey so far. Cutting the Spainiards to pieces with the counterattack, return to form of Huntelaar, Leroy Far and Memphis Depay, and Louis Van Gaal's substitution of goalkeeper Cillessen with Krul in the 119th minute took the breath away. And this is what Robben has to say about the squad and his manager: "We have a fantastic manager who knows exactly which players to bring on at what time and how to change things on the pitch, so that's fantastic. Ultimately, that's the kind of strength you need to win a World Cup."
The Bayern Munich winger, definitely among the best in business, is a man who: has a score to settle. Like a few in the Dutch squad. The Johannesburg defeat four years ago still hurts.
"I think we are on a mission, together, and when you come to a World Cup it's not to enjoy the weather and enjoy the beaches in Rio. You're here to win matches and to go as far as possible. I don't think the expectations were that high before the tournament. As a result, we can be very proud of where we are."
Given their history of capitulating in the World Cup finals - they have done it thrice the Dutch broke all sense of propriety in their first game on Brazilian soil They stuffed Spain 5-1 and the Cup came alive with a sense of disbelief.
Van Gaal, call him a tactician or a philosopher, never rested on his laurels. The men in orange have a history of going off the boil at the crunch. But the coach here has tweaked his system well and the Nether lands is the only team in the semifinals to have used the services of 21 players among the chosen 23. Only Jordy Clasie and third goalkeeper Michel Vrom are yet to see action. If that is not team effort, then what is?
The Dutch once again made a quiet en try into Rio and exited without a noise. No one knows whether they will return to their beach-front hotel, just a few minutes from. The cafe where the immortal lyrics of the "Girl from Ipanema" were penned.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Wesley Sneijder,Netherlands vs Argentina,Louis van Gaal,FIFA World Cup 2014,Arjen Robben
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