Holland 3 Uruguay 2 - Holland end 32-year wait for final appearance
Wesley Sneijder(credit:
Wikipedia)
Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben struck in the second half to fire Holland into the World Cup final with a 3-2 win over Uruguay.
Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst gave his side the lead with a stunning strike only for Diego Forlan to level before the break with an effort from distance.
But Sneijder netted his fifth goal of the tournament and Robben then headed home three minutes later, with Maxi Pereira's goal in added time mere consolation for Uruguay.
Joris Mathijsen returned from injury to replace Andre Oojier at the heart of Holland’s defence, with Demy De Zeeuw and Khalid Boulahrouz coming in for the suspended pair Nigel de Jong and Gregory van der Wiel.
Suspension ruled out Uruguay hitman Luis Suarez and Jorge Fucile, while injury sidelined skipper Diego Lugano. That meant Edinson Cavani joined Forlan up front, with Martin Caceres and Diego Godin coming into the starting XI.
Dirk Kuyt was gifted an early chance when Fernando Muslera punched Sneijder’s cross straight at him, but the Holland striker lifted his shot over the crossbar.
But van Bronckhorst did give the Dutchmen the lead, letting fly from 30 yards with a shot that gave Muslera no chance and nestled in the Uruguay goalkeeper’s top left corner.
Forlan then matched the Holland player’s effort with his equaliser from distance five minutes before the interval, although perhaps Maarten Stekelenburg should have done better in the Holland goal.
Stekelenburg was equal to a curling effort from the Uruguay striker and then had to react quickly to deny Edinson Cavani after Boulahrouz’s poor backpass put him in trouble.
Mathijsen nodded Sneijder’s free-kick wide, while at the other end a Forlan set-piece force Stekelenburg to make a fine diving save.
Robben then wasted a glorious chance to put Holland back in the lead, blazing over the crossbar after Muslera parried Rafael van der Vaart’s had been parried by Muslera.
But on 70 minutes they would regain the lead, Wesley Sneijder’s shot from just inside the area clipping Maxi Pereira before going in off the inside of the right-hand post. The Uruguayans appealed vociferously for offside against Robin van Persie despite the Arsenal striker not making contact with the ball.
And any dreams Uruguay still had appeared to be dashed when Kuyt found space on the left-hand side and crossed for Robben to impressively head home three minutes later.
Maxi Pereira did ensure a nervy finish for Bert van Marwijk's side when he fired through a crowded penalty area to bring the Uruguayans within one, but Holland would not be denied their first World Cup final appearance since 1978.
Holland: Stekelenburg, Heitinga, Mathijsen, van Bronckhorst, van Bommel, Kuyt, van Persie, Sneijder, Robben (Elia 89), Boulahrouz, De Zeeuw (van der Vaart 46).
Goals: van Bronckhorst 18, Sneijder 70, Robben 73
Uruguay: Muslera, Godin, Gargano, Victorino, Cavani, Forlan (S Fernandez 84), A Pereira (Abreu 78), Perez, M Pereira, Arevalo Rios, Caceres.
Goals: Forlan 41, M Pereira 90
Bookings: van Bommel, Sneijder, Boulahrouz (Holland), M Pereira, Caceres (Uruguay)