Holland 0 Spain 1 (after extra time)

Scorer: Iniesta (Spa)

Attendance: 84490

Champions of Europe and now champions of the world, Spain captured football's Holy Grail for the first time with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands thanks to Andres Iniesta's 116th-minute strike at Soccer City.

The solitary goal came with penalties looming as substitute Cesc Fabregas played in Iniesta and the little midfielder drove emphatically across Maarten Stekelenburg and into the far corner. With this victory – their fourth successive single-goal win in South Africa – Spain became the eighth name on the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy and also the first European team to have triumphed on a different continent. For the Netherlands, who lost defender John Heitinga to a red card in extra time, there is only the heartache of another tale of what might have been after they completed a hat-trick of Final losses.

This was a match preceded by much talk of two like-minded footballing cultures, of the influence of Dutchmen like Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, of 'tiki taka' and Total Football. In many ways, as the first 116 minutes showed, it was also a case of the irresistible force versus the immovable object. The Dutch had won 14 straight games to get to the Final, in qualifying and the tournament proper, and Spain 15 out of 16, their only slip the defeat by Switzerland in their first game here in South Africa.

It was the Spanish found their stride first, living up to their pre-game billing as favourites. Vicente del Bosque's side dominated possession and created the early chances. With the Dutch penned inside their half, goalkeeper Stekelenburg had to make a save after five minutes, diving low to stop a Sergio Ramos header from Xavi's free-kick from the right. Gerard Pique looked poised to follow up only to be denied by a combination of Joris Mathijsen and Dirk Kuyt.

Ramos came again in the tenth minute, beating Kuyt on the right and driving in a low centre that Heitinga deflected behind. From the corner came another scare for the Netherlands. Xavi played the ball back to Xabi Alonso whose cross went beyond the far post to David Villa but the in-form No7 sliced his volley into the side-netting. After those near things, however, both defences got on top with none of the flair players on either side able to take a grip on proceedings. Instead the yellow-card count began to rise with Nigel de Jong becoming the fifth player in Howard Webb's notebook by the time the half-hour mark arrived.

With the orange sections of the 84,490 Soccer City crowd finding their voice, Bert van Marwijk's men almost gave them something to sing about from a corner in the 37th minute. Robben rolled the ball to Mark van Bommel on the edge of the box and although he failed to make a clean connection he unwittingly diverted the ball on to the unmarked Mathijsen but the defender missed his kick. As half-time approached, Iker Casillas had barely had a save to make but entering stoppage time, he had to be alert to deny Robben at his near post as a spell of Dutch pressure ended with the winger spearing in a low shot from the corner of the box.

Puyol, Spain's semi-final matchwinner, showed his aerial threat once more minutes after the restart when he rose above Heitinga and headed to the far post but Joan Capdevila failed to make contact. The game was gradually opening up and the Dutch spurned a golden opportunity in the 62nd minute when Wesley Sneijder sent Robben running clear. Casillas came to Spain's rescue, deflecting the shot behind with his right foot when falling the wrong way.

Spain coach Del Bosque had already sent on Jesus Navas for Pedro on the hour and the winger helped pick a hole in the Dutch defence in the 70th minute. Xavi sent him flying down the right into the box and when Heitinga failed to deal with Navas's low cross, the ball fell to Villa who looked odds-on to score only to see his effort deflected behind. Ramos was equally profligate after 78 minutes when he headed over a Xavi centre when unmarked, after Villa had forced another corner.

Spain were looking the more likely winners and it took Sneijder of all people to foil Iniesta with a smart tackle after his jinking run into the box. Yet Robben's pace was a persistent threat and theOranje No11 almost embarrassed Puyol in the 82nd minute, speeding clear of the Spain defender when second-favourite to reach a through-ball. Resisting Pique's attempt to tackle too, he was foiled only by Casillas, the captain saving at Robben's feet as the Dutchman tried to round him.

Extra time began with opportunities for Spain. Xavi failed to connect when well positioned and when the ball ran to Villa, his shot went wide off an orange shirt. Substitute Fabregas then broke clear on to Iniesta's through-ball but was foiled by Stekelenburg. Mathijsen headed wide from a corner but like waves, Spanish attacks kept rolling on to the Netherlands back line and Navas was close with a shot deflected into the side-netting.

Fernando Torres replaced Villa midway through the extra period and Spain gained a man advantage four minutes later with Heitinga's dismissal for pulling back Iniesta on the edge of the box, the offence earning him a second yellow. Iniesta would not be denied, however, and his fine late strike put Spain into the history books and left a Dutch dream shattered.

Uruguay 2 Germany 3

Scorers:  Cavani (Uru), Forlan (Uru), Muller (Ger), Jansen (Ger), Khedira (Ger)

Attendance: 36007

Germany took bronze for the fourth time at the FIFA World Cup™ after beating Uruguay 3-2 in an entertaining play-off for third place. Sami Khedira got the winning goal with eight minutes remaining as Joachim Low's side repeated their success in this same match four years ago.

There was no shortage of goals as the rain came teeming down in Port Elizabeth with both sides eager to conclude impressive campaigns on a winning note. Thomas Muller and Edinson Cavani traded first half efforts before Diego Forlan and Marcell Jansen did likewise within ten minutes of the restart. Yet it was Germany who came out on top and, in the process, South Africa 2010's leading scorers reached the 16-goal mark, surpassing their total at Italy 1990, albeit falling one short of their tally in 1970, when they also pipped Uruguay to the bronze medal.

For two of the scorers, Muller and Forlan, their strikes took them to five for the tournament, level with David Villa and Wesley Sneijder at the top of the adidas Golden Boot standings. Forlan will rue the injury-time free-kick against the crossbar that denied him a sixth goal, while Miroslav Klose's absence with a back injury left him rooted on five too.

Both teams featured changed lineups after their semi-final losses. Germany coach Joachim Low went for a wholly new forward line from that which began against Spain with starting roles for the trio of Muller, Cacau and Jansen. Further back Dennis Aogo came in for Philipp Lahm and goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt for Manuel Neuer. As for Uruguay, they welcomed back captain Diego Lugano from injury together with Jorge Fucile and Luis Suarez, both suspended for last Tuesday's defeat by the Netherlands.

Muller made his mark early with his fifth goal in South Africa. The 20-year-old had already had one effort ruled out for offside when he fired Low’s side ahead in the 19th minute. Bastian Schweinsteiger sent in a shot from 30 yards that goalkeeper Diego Muslera, seemingly deceived by the swerve and dip, parried straight to Muller who had an easy task to score. A German breakthrough was hardly a surprise given by that stage they had also seen Arne Friedrich head a Mesut Ozil corner against the crossbar yet Oscar Tabarez's side soon responded.

Uruguay threatened in the 25th minute when Per Mertesacker got a block on Forlan's far-post header. Four minutes later, though, they had their equaliser from a swift counter. Diego Perez dispossessed Schweinsteiger just inside the Celeste half with a powerful challenge and fed Suarez who played in Cavani down the inside left-channel. The Palermo striker took one touch before prodding a low finish into the bottom corner. Suarez should then have put Uruguay ahead three minutes before the break when Forlan picked out his diagonal run but bearing down on Butt's goal from the right, he arrowed his shot wide of the far post.

Futher changes went begging moments after the restart when Butt saved at Cavani's feet and then got a hand to Suarez’s shot on the follow-up. Butt was left helpless when Forlan made it 2-1 after 51 minutes, however. The Atletico Madrid striker connected acrobatically with Egidio Arevalo's cross on the edge of the box, sending the ball into the rain-sodden turf and back up past Butt. Yet the lead lasted only five minutes before Muslera missed Jerome Boateng's deep cross and Jansen headed home.

The game was now wide open as both teams chased a third goal. Butt kept out a flying strike from Suarez and came out to save at the feet of Forlan. At the other end Muslera beat away a shot from Germany substitute Stefan Kiessling, who missed two other inviting chances. The winning goal, when it came, followed an Ozil corner. The ball bounced off Friedrich and then Lugano before rising fortuitously to Khedira who headed home.

Germany 0 Spain 1

Scorer: Puyol (Spa)

Attendance: 60960

First Europe and now, possibly, the world for Spain, who won through to the Final of South Africa 2010 with a 1-0 victory over Germany in Durban. Carles Puyol's 74th-minute header repeated the single-goal triumph over Germany that secured La Roja the European title two years ago and now only the Netherlands stand between them and a first FIFA World Cup™ title.

Whatever the outcome at Soccer City on Sunday, there will be history made with a new name on the Trophy after Spain produced their best performance of these finals to end Germany's hopes of an eighth Final appearance and secure their first. Joachim Low’s men, by contrast, missing the suspended Thomas Muller, were unable to repeat the scintillating displays with which they swept aside England and Argentina and, as in 2006, suffered the anguish of semi-final defeat.

While Germany were playing in their 12th FIFA World Cup semi-final, this was Spain's first, although it was business as usual for Vicente del Bosque's side, who dominated possession. Indeed Spain might have had an early goal when Pedro, making his first start of the finals in place of Fernando Torres, slipped a through-ball to David Villa after just six minutes. Clear of the Germany defence, Villa produced a sliding finish but Manuel Neuer was out of his goal fast to deny the Spaniard.

There was another nervy moment to follow for Low's men after 14 minutes. From a short corner, Andres Iniesta drove in a centre that Puyol met with a flying header that, to the relief of the Germans, cleared the crossbar. Spain had more than 60 per cent of the ball in the game's first quarter but Germany, happy to sit deep and continue the counter-attacking game that had brought them such reward in previous matches, began to offer a threat. Lukas Podolski played in Mezut Ozil on the left and he duly supplied Miroslav Klose on the edge of the box, but the Bayern Munich forward was crowded out.

Iker Casillas was called into action for the first time just after the half-hour to turn behind a low 30-yard drive from Piotr Trochowski, the man brought in to replace Muller. On the stroke of half-time, Germany finally picked a hole in the Spain defence when Ozil broke into the box on to a pass from Klose. As Sergio Ramos challenged, the German midfielder went to ground but referee Viktor Kassai waved play on.

The second half began like the first, with Spain threatening Neuer's goal as Xabi Alonso drove narrowly wide from 25 yards, then Villa curled another attempt wide of the same post. The pressure intensified with the hour approaching and Germany's goal was lucky to survive intact. Pedro's low shot drew a fingertip save from Neuer and as Per Mertesacker dawdled over his clearance, Iniesta nipped in and drove a low ball across goal that the lunging Villa was within a whisker of reaching at the far post. With Germany still unable to clear their lines, Pedro then fired wide.

Low sought to change things, sending on Marcell Jansen in place of Jerome Boateng and, later, Toni Kroos for Trochowski. It was Kroos who had Germany's first attempt of the second half in the 69th minute, meeting Podoski's far-post cross with a side-footed shot that Casillas beat away.
Instead, with 16 minutes remaining, the decisive goal came at the other end. From a corner by Xavi, Puyol leapt above team-mate Gerard Pique and powered a header past Neuer. Pedro could have ensured a bigger margin of victory in the closing stages but he allowed Arne Friedrich to dispossess him after bursting through in a two-on-one with substitute Torres. It did not matter in the end, Spain's third successive 1-0 win carrying them into their first Final.

Uruguay 2 Holland 3

Scorers: Forlan (Uru), Pereira (Uru), Van Bronckhorst (Hol), Sneijder (Hol), Robben (Hol)

Attendance: 62479

The Netherlands will face either Spain or Germany in the Final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ after beating Uruguay by the odd goal in five in the first of the tournament’s semi-finals at Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium. Bert van Marwijk’s side were worthy of their victory but were made to work hard for it in an eventful last four encounter punctuated by excellent goals from Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Diego Forlan, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Maximiliano Pereira.

Having gone into this match on a record 24-match unbeaten streak, the Dutch started as favourites, and it was a tag they would justify during an entertaining first half. Van Marwijk’s side certainly began in positive fashion, with Robben darting beyond his marker at the first opportunity inside four minutes. Sneijder profited from his former Real Madrid team-mate’s dynamism, curling in a right-foot cross that, following an unconvincing punch from Fernando Muslera, was hurriedly controlled and volleyed just over by the lively Dirk Kuyt.

It was an early moment of concern for La Celeste, but they recovered admirably and, with the pace of the game dropping, looked to be comfortably holding the Oranje at bay. With the Dutch threat minimal, the Uruguayan defenders would have been forgiven for not sensing any immediate danger when Van Bronckhorst picked up the ball over 30 yards from goal, close to the left touchline. Yet it was from this seemingly unthreatening position that the Dutch captain unleashed a stunning left-foot shot that Muslera, despite applying a despairing touch, could only divert into the top corner via the inside of the post.

It was a magnificent strike, a cast-iron contender for goal of the tournament, and it gave the Netherlands an advantage they continued to prove worthy of as the half progressed. However, the Dutch were not the only team capable of conjuring a goal out of nothing, with Forlan providing an equally unexpected equaliser four minutes before the break.

Uruguay’s captain for the night had hitherto been relatively subdued, but the Dutch defence made the mistake of affording him too much space 25 yards from goal – and were ruthlessly punished. Shaping to spread the ball wide, Forlan instead turned inside on his left foot and curled in a superb left-foot shot that, thanks partly to a slight deflection off the head of John Heitinga, deceived the wrong-footed Maarten Stekelenburg.

Uruguay started the second half with something to build on, therefore, and they looked the more threatening of the two sides early on, with Van Bronckhorst forced to head off the line from a Pereira effort and Stekelenburg parrying clear a goal-bound Forlan free-kick.

The Dutch were unruffled, however, and their patient probing at the other end almost paid dividends when Robin van Persie’s intelligent reverse pass teed up substitute Rafael van der Vaart for a shot from the left-hand edge of the box. With the strike accurate and firmly struck, Muslera could only parry clear, but Robben proved unable to gobble up the rebound, blazing over from an acute angle.

Denied on this occasion, the Dutch moved in front a couple of minutes later, as Sneijder scored his fifth goal of the tournament, again benefiting from a telling deflection, this time off the thigh of Pereira, that sent his 20-yard shot spinning past Muslera. Uruguay needed a response, and quickly, but with 17 minutes remaining their hopes were all but ended when Robben doubled the Netherlands’ advantage.

A terrific goal it was too, with the Dutch winger sneaking in unnoticed to bullet a textbook header in off the base of the left-hand post from a measured Kuyt cross. Pereira did score an equally excellent consolation, converting expertly with a curling left-foot shot from a quickly-taken free-kick, but this injury-time effort was to prove too little, too late for the last of the non-European representatives

Paraguay 0 Spain 1

Scorer: Villa (Spa)

Attendance: 55359

Spain won through to a potentially epic semi-final meeting with Germany but the European champions had to do it the hard way requiring a lone second-half strike from David Villa to edge past a typically resolute Paraguay 1-0 at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park. The goal saw Villa move to outright lead of the adidas Golden Boot with five goals but the match was as much a tale of two failed spot-kicks, one for each side.

A confident Vicente del Bosque fielded an unchanged Spanish line-up to that which defeated neighbours Portugal 1-0 four days ago. Conversely Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino made a remarkable six changes to the team which squeezed past Japan on penalties. Left out were his trio of misfiring strikers with Roque Santa Cruz, Edgar Benitez and Lucas Barrios all remaining on the bench.

Both sides went into the match aiming for new zeniths. Spain made a top-four finish in 1950 in a round-robin final stage but they have never competed in a FIFA World Cup™ semi-final, while Paraguay had already achieved a first by progressing past the Round of 16.

If Spain were feeling complacent then one of the new faces in La Albirroja’s forward line, Jonathan Santana, provided an early wake-up call by forcing Iker Casillas into a save in the opening minute. Paraguay didn’t allow Spain to settle and successfully disrupted their normally crisp passing game during the first half. In-form David Villa only rarely found space on the left flank in the early stages, while at the other end Nelson Valdez looked dangerous whenever Paraguay made forays forward.

Spain midfielder Xavi took matters into his own hands on the half hour mark with a wonderful snap shot; the dipping volley from 30 metres clearing the crossbar with goalkeeper Justo Villar scrambling. Minutes later at the other end Santana narrowly failed to connect with a diving header from a Claudio Morel cross. Valdez then had the ball in the net four minutes before the break only to see his effort disallowed for offside as Paraguay finished the first half in a positive frame of mind.

The second half commenced in similar fashion to the first period with stalemate and neither goalkeeper under threat until a remarkable period either side of the hour mark.

Gerard Pique wrestled Oscar Cardozo to the ground as a corner, Paraguay’s first of the night, was played in from the left. Cardozo looked set to give La Albirroja a stunning lead against the European champions only for skipper Casillas to rescue his side with a superb stop diving to his left.

Within 60 seconds Antolin Alcaraz was deemed to have bundled over Villa in the penalty area and Spain had their own chance from the penalty spot. Xabi Alonso buried his spot-kick but Spanish joy was short-lived with a retake ordered for encroachment. This time Villar dived low to his left and parried Alonso’s effort with Paraguay just scrambling the rebound to safety. It is the first time that two penalties had been missed in a FIFA World Cup match since Argentina and Mexico took the field in 1930.

Minutes later Andres Iniesta hit a curling effort that was well blocked by Villar, and it was indeed to be the Barcelona midfield genius who proved the difference in the decisive moment of the match seven minutes from full time. Budweiser Man of the Match Iniesta made a driving run from midfield teeing up Pedro, whose shot hit Villar’s right-hand post before rebounding to Villa who placed his effort against the left side of the goal with the ball eventually nestling in the net, but only after incredibly rebounding off the opposite post.

In the final minute Casillas saved his side with a double block from Santa Cruz and Barrios, while Villa was similarly denied by the impressive Villar in a lighting counter-attack.

Argentina 0 Germany 4

Scorers: Klose (Ger) 2 goals, Muller (Ger), Friedrich (Ger)

Attendance: 64100

Germany are through to the semi-finals after producing another masterful performance to beat Argentina 4-0 at Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium. Diego Maradona’s Albiceleste came into this match with high hopes of avenging their quarter-final defeat in 2006 but they ultimately had no answer to a slick, powerful German side who will now face either Spain or Paraguay in the last four.

Games as eagerly-anticipated as this one often disappoint, but this particular encounter took just three minutes to catch fire as Joachim Low's side snatched an early advantage. Bastian Schweinsteiger provided the assist with a superbly judged inswinging free-kick, and with Sergio Romero caught in no man’s land, Thomas Muller applied the slightest of headed touches to flick the ball into the net. It was Germany’s 200th FIFA World Cup™ goal, their fastest in 32 years and the quickest so far at South Africa 2010. The only downside for Low’s side was that it left Argentina with 87 minutes to respond.

However, it was the Germans who continued to carve out the better chances, with Miroslav Klose - winning his 100th cap – firing wastefully over from the edge of the box after some outstanding, unselfish set-up play from Muller. Argentina attempted to grab a foothold, with Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain creating decent shooting positions, but on each occasion Manuel Neuer proved equal to their goal-bound efforts.

Nevertheless, as the match wore on, La Albiceleste relied increasingly on speculative long-range efforts, with the subdued Lionel Messi firing over just before the break and Di Maria missing the left-hand post by a matter of inches with a ferociously-struck 25-yard drive. Germany also remained a constant threat on the break, and Podolski – who had earlier come close to scoring himself – was to lead the counter-attack that provided Low’s team with their all-important second goal.

With the second half reaching its midway point, the Cologne forward broke clear on the left and, from a position where he would have been forgiven for shooting, he instead squared intelligently for Klose to tap home from inside the six yard box. The goal left Argentina with little option but to throw men forward, and with Diego Maradona’s side over-committed, Germany proceeded to pick them off on the break.

Within six minutes of Klose making it two, Arne Friedrich removed any lingering doubts over the outcome with another close-range finish, profiting on this occasion from a dazzling solo run from the excellent Schweinsteiger. There was even time for Klose to rub salt into Argentinian wounds, side-footing home Mesut Ozil's measured cross with a minute remaining to round off a memorable German win. 

Uruguay 1 Ghana 1 (Uruguay win 4-2 on penalties)

Scorers: Forlan (Uru), Muntari (Gha)

Attendance: 84017

Ghana became the final African team to say goodbye to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, losing in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to Uruguay after a 1-1 quarter-final draw at Johannesburg's Soccer City. Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera saved efforts from Stephen Appiah and Dominic Adiyiah, before Sebastian Abreu converted the decisive spot-kick for the South Americans, who reach the last four for the first time since 1970.

The Black Stars will have to be content with having become just the third side from the continent to make the quarter-final stage, although they could have won the match with the final kick of extra time after Luis Suarez handled a goal-bound effort on the line. But with Suarez sent off, their top scorer, Asamoah Gyan, smashed a penalty off the bar that would have tipped the scales to the Africans after Sulley Muntari and Diego Forlan had scored either side of half-time.

Uruguay started the match on the front foot, looking dangerous from dead-ball situations and through the dynamic duo of Forlan and Suarez up front. Suarez had the first real chance in the 11th minute when he beat a Ghanaian defender down the the left. He cut into the box but blasted his shot right at goalkeeper Richard Kingson.

Kingson was the hero for the west Africans twice in short succession. In the 18th minute, from Forlan's corner, he reacted quickly to keep out the ball after it deflected off John Mensah and was seemingly destined for the back of the net. Seven minutes later, he rescued another defender, this time Isaac Vorsah, who missed a tackle allowing Suarez in on goal. But the net-minder just got his fingertips to Suarez's effort to push it over acrobatically.

The Black Stars then settled into the match and only narrowly missed going ahead twice near the half-hour mark. From Ghana's first corner, Vorsah headed just wide of the post. A minute later, Gyan skimmed the other post after a strong run and cross from Kevin Prince Boateng. The Portsmouth midfielder almost opened the scoring himself in spectacular fashion in the 45th minute, but his overhead kick in front of goal spun off his foot. However, the west Africans got their breakthrough on the stroke of half-time as Muntari scored with a curling 35-yard shot that seemed to deceive the goalkeeper before finding the left-hand corner.

But if they ended the first period on a high, the Black Stars started the second on a low as Forlan's free-kick from near the left corner of the box fooled Kingson with its swerve in the 55th minute and bulged the net. The Atletico Madrid hit-man continued to play with confidence and in the 63rd minute he brought the ball down well on the left side of the box in a dangerous position. His cross beat Kingson, but Suarez, who had three goals coming into the match, could only volley into the side-netting at the far post.

As the match opened up and both teams searched for a winner, Suarez had another good opportunity in the 71st minute but from a tight angle on the left he could not beat Kingson, who punched over. Uruguay then threatened twice from Forlan free-kicks. First, he screamed in a shot that beat the keeper but went into the side-netting and next he found Suarez in the box, but the Ajax man's header was tipped over.

Ghana had the clearest opportunities in extra time. Gyan flashed an open header over the bar in the 110th minute, and five minutes later, defender Andres Scotti did just enough to scramble the ball away when it looked like the Ghanaian would score. Boateng almost won it minutes from time, but his header screamed agonisingly wide. And then at the death, from a free-kick into the box, Suarez blocked Appiah's shot on the line only to then stop Adiyiah's headed follow-up with his hand to set up Gyan's penalty miss.

With the gasps of a stunned Soccer City still ringing in the ears, Gyan bravely stepped up to immediately convert the first penalty in the shoot-out. Maxi Pereira missed his spot-kick for the Uruguayans, but two consecutive saves by Muslera set up Abreu to be the hero

Holland 2 Brazil 1

Scorers: Felipe Melo (O.G)(Hol), Sneijder (Hol), Robinho (Bra)

Attendance: 40186

Holland came from behind to break Brazilian hearts and take a huge step towards a third FIFA World Cup™ final appearance. Trailing at half-time to Robinho's early goal in Port Elizabeth, Bert van Marwijk's men drew level through Felipe Melo's own goal before Wesley Sneijder headed the winner with 22 minutes remaining. Brazil ended the game a man short after Felipe Melo's dismissal as, like in Germany four years ago, the South Americans, unbeaten since last October, saw their dream of a sixth world crown dismantled at the quarter-final stage.

For the Dutch, this was their fifth straight win at these finals and leaves them one victory short of a first Final appearance since they finished runners-up twice in the 1970s. They will travel to Tuesday's Cape Town semi-final against Uruguay or Ghana as favourites despite the suspensions of Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong. History will be on their side too, given the winners of their three previous FIFA World Cup meetings with Brazil marched on to the Final each time.


Yet it was not the Dutch, but Brazil who looked likely to prevail in the first 45 minutes. Robinho had already had one effort ruled offside when he broke the deadlock in the tenth minute. Advancing unchecked from inside his own half, Felipe Melo played a ball straight through the centre of the Dutch defence from the halfway line. Robinho, free of his marker Van der Wiel and played onside by Ooijer, was in the clear and he tucked a first-time finish beyond Maarten Stekelenburg.

The Dutch sought an immediate reply when Kuyt tested Julio Cesar with a low drive but Brazil were carrying the greater threat and, after 25 minutes, they came close to a second. From a half-cleared corner, Dani Alves, out on the right, drove in a low cross and Juan got there first only to shoot over from close range. Robinho then wriggled away from two orange shirts on the left, gave the ball to Luis Fabiano and his flick set up Kaka whose curling shot was bound for the top corner before Stekelenburg reached out his right arm to palm the ball away.

The teams' 1994 quarter-final, won by Brazil, produced five second-half goals and this game grew as a contest after the restart. Second-best in the first half, the Dutch drew level in the 53rd minute. Sneijder had already miscued an attempted volley when, following a short free-kick with Robben, the Inter midfielder swung in a cross from out on the right. Julio Cesar and Felipe Melo got in each other's way with the midfielder unwittingly flicking the ball on into the net.


Michel Bastos, booked before the break and under pressure from Robben, now made way for Gilberto Melo but Brazil's self-assurance was fading. Although Kaka guided a volley just past the post, the Dutch soon had their second goal. It came from the head of Sneijder who profited from slack marking in the six-yard box to nod home his third goal of the finals after Kuyt had flicked on Robben's corner. Brazil's prospects dimmed further with 17 minutes remaining with Felipe Melo’s red card for a stamp on Robben, now a constant nuisance to the South Americans. In a frantic finish it might have got even worse for Dunga's men but Sneijder scuffed his shot straight at Julio Cesar. 

Holland v Brazil

When we all saw the draw for the Quarter Finals two fixtures stuck out.  Argentina v Germany and this one and thankfully its this one that starts the Quarters off

Both teams have shown moments of brilliance and have probably been the two most entertaining teams to watch.  Many think they are meeting too soon and that this should be the final but it's not so we will just have to sit down and enjoy the feast of football that hopefully these two teams will bring to the table.

Kaka is finally finding his form in the competition, maybe the suspension was a blessing in disguise and for Holland Robin Van Persie is hitting form but so are their midfielder Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder.

For me though the Brazilians just have that little bit more.  They aren't just a football team, they are artistis all contributing to the same work of art.  Kaka, Luis Fabianio, Robinho even Manchester United reject Kleberson gets a game!!!

This could well be the game of the tournament, I just hope they don't let us down!!

Head To Head: Holland 2 wins, 4 Draws, Brazil 3 wins

Last Meeting: 9/10/1999 - Amsterdam - Holland 2 Brazil 2

Odds: Holland 7/2, Draw 12/5, Brazil 20/21

Verdict: 0-2