Match Review & Highlights: Uruguay 2-3 Netherlands

I disagree. It was thrilling at times. The goals were all thrilling, the last minutes were thrilling (and it was pretty close to a shocking end and extra time). Uruguay fought passionately and the game was actually pretty even-sided. Although the absence of Suarez and Fucile was noticeable. Netherlands once again just slipped by without showing much or playing great football. It doesn't bode well for them in the final.

Also, the all but perceptible panic of the Dutch after the Maxi Pereira goal shows that it really was a close game.

I disagree on two points, but only slightly:

1. I thought Caceres filled in well for Fucile, though he didn't provide as much going forward. Robben, other than the header (?!), didn't have a great game, as he was shut down fairly quickly.

2. I thought the Dutch played quite well, much better than they have so far, and were more convincing than in any other game. Defensively they struggled, but going forward they had more intent than before.

How can Van Persie be offside if the ball hit the defender Pareira in Sneijder's 71 minute goal ???

Anyway, it would not be morally correct for them to win the world cup. I hope he learned from this. Give it to those who are there legally.

Let give it to those who are legal

After countless cynical fouls, Mark van Bommel finally got a yellow card. Given all the cheap yellows that have been given out, it was one of life's little miracles that he was unscathed until suspension was impossible.

The final one goal margin was a correct assessment of the two teams' relative strength.

Because all that matters is that RvP was offside at the moment Sneijder played the ball. The deflection off the defender is not important.

I agree with your disagreement :) Caceres indeed played well, though it's strange that he didn't play before. Fucile is a more offensive type of right back, and that was sometimes lacking in Uruguay's play. On the other hand, he wouldn't do such a good job against Robben (Caceres practically canceled him).

I wouldn't be so sure about Holland's performance. True, they had the initiative, but notice that before the third goal they didn't create one good scoring chance.

I think that another offside decision that went the Netherlands way was the early incorrect offside call when Uruguay were attacking. If that hadn't been called then Uruguay may have had an early lead and who knows what could have happened.

The Dutch deserved the win, they were the more offensive team, created more chances. It could have easily been 4-2. It should've ended at 3-1 but they let it slip it the end a bit when they thought they already won, big mistake but it can happen to anyone if you're so anxious to be so close to the final. And Uruguay shouldn't even complain anymore, they even got 2 extra minutes added to the +3 that was already given. It caused Uruguay to push more, something they should've done way earlier, not in the closing minutes. The ref let it go too long.

And btw, did your eyes whitness that beautiful, almost divine goal of Van Bronckhorst? That just makes you silent and sit there in awe….

But yellows are forgotten for the final this year, no?

What a ludicrous comment. Uruguay were there LEGALLY. Suarez was punished according the rules. Ghana was given a PK according to the rules. There's absolutely NOTHING “illegal” (strange word to use) about Uruguay being in the semifinal. (and no, I'm not Uruguayan). If you think the remaining teams (Holland, Germany and Spain) played like boy scouts and never broke the rules, you don't know football.

Uruguay never should have been in that game to begin with, considering the blatant cheating at the end of the Ghana game that allowed them to eek by in the shootout phase. Soccer desperately needs to implement instant replay so obvious cheating can be monitored and dealt with accordingly.

tom_uws: You are an idiot. I can not put that any more gently. I could argue that it wasn't cheating as any soccer player or commentator would tell you but I won't even bother. Instead I'll look to your ridiculous comment about needing “instant replay” to deal with these situations. A comment that ignores that Suarez was CAUGHT and given the APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT, which makes the instant replay argument laughable. And begs the question… did you even watch the game..?

Lets recognize the merits of the Uruguayan team: No single error from the refs benefited Uruguay in this WC. It ended up first in one of the hardest groups with 7 points. Had one of the best defenses (undefeated until the semifinal). Scored beautiful goals. Survived one of the most dramatic matches in WC history. It never gave up, like Brazil did. It managed to put this excellent Dutch team in troubles missing three key players and with Forlán playing injured. “Sport-Moralists” that only vilify Suarez can't accept what true fútbol fans around the world know: Uruguay did a great job in South Africa.

did you really watch the uruguay-ghana game??? because it seems like you only watch what suarez did….lets for example talk about why lugano the captain of uruguay could not play…ah yeah i remember he was injured and due to a foul that the referee “didn´t saw” and had to leave in the middle of the game…also the referee didn´t saw a penalty…and now that player can´t play because they broke his leg…just so you now his name is lodeiros…so…are you sure you watch the match or you just saw the last few minutes??? because half of ghana players should have been expelled!! by the way the match between netherlands and uruguay was a fight any could have won. but the second goal of the dutch decided everything…the refs of the world cup were disastrous but thats football. there were 4 beautiful goals in that match that cannot be argued

so right you are tom_uws! even my 4 year old nephew knows better then to use his hands! ESPECIALLY when trying to prevent a ball from going into the net!! poor sportsmanship doesn't begin to describe that kind of behavior on the field, little children would be scolded and lectured if they cheated like that. Ghana deserved to be in that game, not Uruguay, for sure. they need instant replay if they want soccer to be more popular

I like the fact that you just said it “football” which derives from foot + Ball. Let assume that x= a word
X+ ball= foot+ball ; only if x=foot.
X+ball = foot +ball; false ( illegal) if X= hand

We catch one person at time otherwise we wouldn’t catch any. What he did was just too deceiving. It is like someone who stands on freeway just for fun. That was too disrespectful to those who played for more than two hours and to those fans who were hoping to enjoy the best matches in the last stages. They lost and he should learn from it

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