NU Mad - World Cup Report - Monday Pt 2

HOLLAND 2 SLOVAKIA 1

Holland booked a World Cup quarter-final spot after a 2-1 victory over Slovakia in Durban.

Arjen Robben opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Wesley Sneijder doubled his team's lead with six minutes remaining.

Slovakia scored a consolation goal in stoppage time when Robert Vittek struck from the penalty spot after substitute Martin Jakubko was brought down by Holland goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Stekelenburg had earlier made a great save from Vittek's close-range strike in the 66th minute to deny Slovakia an equaliser.

Holland have now won all four games at the World Cup and will meet the winner of Brazil's clash with Chile on Friday in Port Elizabeth.

Today's game at the Moses Mabhida stadium offered two contrasting styles, with Holland pursuing a patient passing game while Slovakia adopted a more direct approach to try to utilise Vittek's pace.

Robben earned his first start at the World Cup after recovering from a calf injury and he terrorised Slovakia's defence with pace and skill before being replaced after the hour mark.

Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss made just one change to the side that knocked Italy out of the tournament.

The Slovaks, looking to upset another World Cup heavyweight, started in confident fashion and had the first chance after two minutes but Erik Jendrisek's left-footed strike from 25 yards went over the bar.

Holland struggled to break down Slovakia's defence and were limited to long-range shooting.

Sneijder tried his luck from distance and his effort went high and wide while shortly after, Dirk Kuyt fired just wide of the near post.

In the 10th minute, Sneijder should have done better after being set up inside the area by Robin van Persie.

However, the Inter Milan forward shot straight at Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

It did not take long for Holland to go in front, though. A great long ball from Sneijder found Robben and the Bayern Munich winger cut inside two defenders before firing a left-footed strike into the net.

On the half-hour mark, Miroslav Stoch got the ball into the danger zone but no-one was there to get on the end of his cross.

Holland were happy to sit on their lead with Slovakia unable to put a good move together.

Van Persie should have doubled Holland's lead before half-time but his close-range shot from Mark van Bommel's cross went wide.

Slovakia showed more determination after the restart but it was Holland that looked more deadly.

Mucha was twice called into action to prevent Holland from extending their lead.

The Slovakia goalkeeper was forced to fully stretch to make a one-handed save from Robben's shot and, seconds later, Mark van Bommel's close-range shot was parried away by Mucha.

Stekelenburg made his first save of the afternoon in the 65th minute by palming over Stoch's right-footed strike from the edge of the area.

Slovakia should have equalised seconds later but Vittek's effort was parried away by Stekelenburg.

At the other end, Kuyt latched onto Sneijder's free-kick but his header went over the bar.

In the 73rd minute, Kuyt warmed the hands of Mucha with a stinging drive from 25 yards and Holland ended Slovakia's hopes in the 84th minute.

Kuyt fed Sneijder and he struck the ball home from 15 yards.

With seconds remaining, Vittek coolly scored from the penalty spot to score his fourth goal of the World Cup, but it was too little, too late.

HOLLAND: Stekelenburg, Van Der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen,Van Bronckhorst, Kuyt, Van Bommel, De Jong, Robben (Elia 71),Sneijder (Afellay 90), van Persie (Huntelaar 80).

Goals: Robben 18, Sneijder 84.

SLOVAKIA: Mucha, Pekarik, Skrtel, Durica,Zabavnik (Jakubko 87), Weiss, Kucka, Stoch, Hamsik (Sapara 87),Jendrisek (Kopunek 71), Vittek.

Goal: Vittek 90 pen.

BRAZIL 3 CHILE 0

Brazil's relentless march to the latter stages of this World Cup continued with an effortless victory over Chile.

A team combining a potent mix of physique, power and mouthwatering ability were hugely assured in a one-side dismissal of their fellow South Americans to line up a quarter-final with Holland on Friday.

The boys in the famous yellow and blue were in control from virtually the first whistle and goals by Juan, Luis Fabiano and Robinho confirmed their status as tournament favourites.

It has been no easy run for Brazil - they emerged from a 'Group of Death' unscathed and with reputations enhanced, and on this evidence the Dutch will need to summon up the spirits of past greats if they are to challenge Dunga's men.

Kaka remains Brazil's talisman and the Real Madrid midfielder was impressive on his return from suspension - though he managed to pick up his third booking of the tournament after English referee Howard Webb was unimpressed with his trip on a Chile player.

After Juan had opened the scoring, punishing Chile for their failure to deal with Brazil's aerial threat at a corner from Maicon, Kaka was heavily involved in the second goal.

Robinho began the move with a burst down the left and an early ball into Kaka in the middle. One brilliant first-time pass split the Chile central defenders asunder and left Luis Fabiano able to skip past keeper Claudio Bravo and finish.

Credit too to English linesman Michael Mullarkey for a perfect call to judge the Seville striker onside.

The goal made up for Luis Fabiano having dragged his shot wide after being put in the clear by a super ball from Dani Alves.

Brazil had almost drawn first blood earlier through Gilberto Silva, proving in this match and not for the first time that Arsene Wenger committed a rare blunder in disposing of his services two years ago, who hit a fierce long-range effort that Bravo turned aside at full stretch.

Chile's main hope looked to be through the creative instincts of their gifted 21-year-old Alexis Sanchez, a player being watched by a number of Premier League clubs including Manchester United.

The Udinese player certainly provided Brazil with something to think about with a series of decent touches - one lovely pass for Humberto Suazo promised much but the striker did not match up with a disappointing effort to lob Julio Cesar.

Brazil could afford to take their foot off the gas at half-time, so minimal was the threat posed by the Marcelo Bielsa's Chileans, but they still managed to extend their lead.

Robinho was the man to strike just before the hour mark, curling it effortlessly past Bravo but he had Ramires to thank after a blistering run by the Benfica midfielder.

Alves hit a thunderbolt that must have had Bravo worried but it drifted just wide, before Jorge Valdivia came as close as Chile had managed to a reply, teeing himself up and then firing just over from the edge of the box.

Kaka nearly claimed the goal his performance deserved after a surge down the left by Michel Bastos but was narrowly off target.

Bravo kept the score respectable by denying Robinho and then Suazo neatly turned Lucio - and not many players have done that this tournament - but Julio Cesar beat away his strike.

The game was up for Chile however and Dunga rubbed salt in the wound by taking off Kaka and sending on Kleberson - the player who flopped so dismally at Manchester United - to illustrate Brazil's overwhelming superiority.

BRAZIL: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Juan, Michel Bastos, Dani Alves, Silva, Ramires, Kaka (Kleberson 81),Luis Fabiano (Nilmar 76), Robinho (Gilberto 85).

Goals: Juan 34, Luis Fabiano 38, Robinho 59.

CHILE: Bravo, Isla (Millar 62), Contreras (Tello 46), Jara, Fuentes, Vidal, Carmona, Beausejour, Sanchez, Suazo,Gonzalez (Valdivia 46).

GERMANY 4 ENGLAND 1

England suffered the pain of German revenge as Fabio Capello's men made a controversial World Cup exit.

The Three Lions had hoped 44 years of hurt would end in South Africa. It did. German hurt.

When Frank Lampard's first-half shot crashed off the bar and bounced a clear two feet over the line, only for assistant Mauricio Espinosa to miss it, grainy images of England's controversial third at Wembley in 1966 immediately sprang to mind.

To his total disbelief, Capello's celebrations of what would have been an equaliser were cut short. Everyone in the ground, except the men who mattered, knew what had happened.

Germany made the most of their good fortune, as England did back then, to book a quarter-final place with what turned out to be their biggest win over their old rivals and the Three Lions' biggest defeat in Finals combat.

Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski's first half-goals were doubled by a pair from the excellent Thomas Muller after the break.

But no-one will be talking about them on the streets of England. Nor will they discuss a Matthew Upson header that brought the Three Lions back into it.

Eventually they might get round to the clear defensive deficiencies in a team Capello claimed was good enough to reach the final.

But from Berwick to Land's End, Carlisle to Dover, all they will snarl and rage at his how on earth Lampard's shot was missed. The stench will tinge the remainder of a tournament England will play no part of.

In a stormy few weeks, Franz Beckenbauer's first attempt to stoke Anglo-German relations came when he branded England a long-ball team.

Yet a true exponent of the art would surely be pretty good at defending it.

England had already been warned. One long punt down field from David James required a single bounce to rocket over the goal-line.

So there was no excuse for John Terry being so far upfield when Manuel Neuer launched the ball from his six-yard line that he was taken completely out of the play by its flight.

Upson was left one-on-one with Klose and had neither agility, nor the strength to prevent the striker advancing on James and poking the ball into the England goal.

It was the start of an exceptionally uncomfortable period for Capello's side as Germany rampaged right through the heart of their midfield almost at will.

Mesut Ozil was an obvious problem, but Muller - the 20-year-old who helped destroy Manchester United with Bayern Munich this term - was emerging as the real danger man.

When he skipped off the right flank onto Klose's short pass, the English defence was again ripped to shreds.

Despite his tender years, Muller retained a cool enough head to flick the ball square to Podolski, whose finish, from a tight angle, went straight through James' legs and in off the post.

As James had already made two feet-first saves as German eyes lit up at a clear sight of goal, it seemed there was no way back for a team being completely outmanoeuvred.

Yet in a confrontation dripping with history, nothing is really new.

For two goal comebacks, think Leon 1970, when Sir Alf Ramsey made the fateful mistake of whisking off Bobby Charlton with a semi-final place supposedly assured.

Upson's reaction header from Steven Gerrard's cross brought that dream a bit closer to being realised.

As they celebrated, little did England know that within 60 seconds their opponents were about to enjoy the ultimate act of revenge.

It is frankly ludicrous that Sepp Blatter and his FIFA mandarins continue to shrug their shoulders at such injustices as the one Lampard suffered when the entire stadium, through all manner of new technology, knew within minutes the ball had crashed off Neuer's bar and bounced at least two feet over the line.

It was not even close, which is what David Beckham was presumably telling the South American officials as they made their way off at half-time.

Within seven minutes of the restart England were suffering again as Lampard let fly from fully 35 yards with a free-kick that again shook Neuer's crossbar. At least this time there was no claim for a goal.

It sparked a frenzied second half though, by far the most compelling period of play in the entire tournament, Germany defending manically, then trying to break on the counter.

Bastian Schweinsteiger had already come close to killing the game when another Lampard free-kick cannoned off the wall. Gareth Barry was neatly robbed, Muller set Schweinsteiger free and began a run that ended with him burying England's World Cup dream.

Germany were not finished. With their opponents committed to desperate attack, Ozil raced past Barry with alarming ease and presented a gleeful Muller with a tap-in.

Four goals for the victors. Just like 66.

GERMANY: Neuer, Lahm, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Boateng, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Muller (Trochowski 72), Ozil (Kiessling 83), Podolski, Klose (Gomez 72).

Goals: Klose 20, Podolski 32, Muller 67, 70.

ENGLAND: James, Johnson (Wright-Phillips 87), Terry, Upson, Ashley Cole, Milner (Joe Cole 63), Lampard, Barry, Gerrard, Defoe (Heskey 71), Rooney.

Goal: Upson 37.

ARGENTINA 3 MEXICO 1

Two goals by Carlos Tevez - one hugely controversial and the other a wonderful strike - sent Argentina through to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win against a spirited Mexico side.

On a day to forget for match officials, the Manchester City striker benefited from an offside decision blunder that was so blatant it ranked alongside the one that denied Frank Lampard in the England game four hours previously.

The offside rule states there should be two players between the striker and the goal: there was not even one when Lionel Messi's ball found Tevez's head, and then the net to put Diego Maradona's side in front.

After the replay flashed up on the big screen angry Mexico players surrounded the Italian referee Roberto Rosetti and linesman Stefano Ayroldi but the goal stood.

Mexico went into meltdown and a defensive howler by Ricardo Osorio allowed Gonzalo Higuain to make it 2-0.

It was Tevez who sewed the match up in brilliant fashion - and legitimately this time - early in the second half with Mexico left only to savour a stunning reply by Manchester United's new signing Javier Hernandez.

Until Tevez's opener Mexico had looked the better side in this clash between the sides who had fought out a terrific contest at the same stage of the 2006 finals.

That went to extra time but once again Javier Aguirre's men showed themselves to be a classy but unfortunate outfit.

Two incidents within the opening 10 minutes had Argentinian hearts in mouths. First Carlos Salcido crashed in a thunderous drive from 30 yards that Sergio Romero just touched onto the crossbar, then an equally terrific strike by Andres Guardado whisked agonisingly past the post.

For Argentina, Messi, still looking for his first goal of the tournament, had two efforts from similar positions on the left of the area, but one was blocked and the other easily held by Oscar Perez. Messi should perhaps have passed to an unmarked team-mate - maybe that elusive goal was haunting him.

Hernandez, who increasingly looks an astute signing by Sir Alex Ferguson, turned away from his marker and slammed a shot wide but then came Tevez's offside goal and Mexico lost their heads.

First skipper Rafael Marquez earned himself a needless booking for showing his frustration, then there was real calamity when Osorio scuffed a pass across the edge of his own box, Higuain seized onto the ball and kept his cool to round Perez neatly and slide home.

Salcido raised Mexican hopes with another long-range strike, this time parried by Romero, before Angel di Maria and Tevez nearly scored but were kept at bay by desperate blocks.

Higuain really should have made it 3-0 but somehow the Real Madrid striker put a free header wide from only six yards out.

There was an unseemly melee around the officials as the teams left the pitch at half-time, with Maradona finding himself in the unusual position of peacemaker.

Any hopes Mexico had ended soon after the restart thanks to Tevez's 52nd-minute blistering strike into the top corner from 25 yards out.

Tevez ran to the bench for a wild embrace with Maradona that seem to last an eternity.

It was left to Hernandez to rescue some pride for Mexico. The 22-year-old had just sent a header over despite being unmarked, but then he left Martin Demichelis standing with a superb turn and lashed the ball high past Romero to give Mexico a slim lifeline.

It probably shaded Tevez's strike and will go down as one of the goals of the tournament.

Argentina shut up shop after that and Mexico barely had another sniff.

Messi's increasingly desperate search for a goal continued as Perez denied him in injury time.

As for Maradona, his amazing story continues.

ARGENTINA:Romero, Otamendi, Demichelis, Burdisso, Heinze,Maxi (Pastore 87), Mascherano, Di Maria (Gutierrez 79),Tevez (Veron 69), Messi, Higuain.

Goals: Tevez 25, Higuain 33, Tevez 52.

MEXICO: Perez, Osorio, Rodriguez, Marquez, Salcido, Juarez,Torrado, Guardado (Franco 61), Giovani, Hernandez,Bautista (Barrera 46).

Goal: Hernandez 71.

GHANA 2 USA 1

Asamoah Gyan kept the African flag flying at the World Cup with a spectacular strike in extra-time to take Ghana through to their first quarter-final.

It was the second time in successive World Cups that Ghana had defeated the United States, having effectively dumped them out of the tournament four years ago by beating them in the final group game.

Gyan's goal, after 93 minutes, was worthy of winning any game after he outmuscled USA captain Carlos Bocanegra to blast his shot past goalkeeper Tim Howard.

It settled a contest that was level at full time after Landon Donovan's second-half penalty cancelled out a fifth-minute strike from Kevin-Prince Boateng.

It was just reward for Ghana's talent and power in a dramatic encounter at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium and the sole surviving African nation must now fancy their chances of creating an even bigger ripple at this tournament, with Uruguay awaiting them in the last-eight.

Former president Bill Clinton had turned up to support the USA and was sitting for a time next to Rolling Stone Mick Jagger, who might well have made his plans expecting England to have topped Group C and been playing down the road from their training headquarters.

The USA had halted those plans by finishing first but it was clear they were going to be stretched by Ghana's pace and the Black Stars could hardly have made a more stunning start.

Portsmouth's Boateng picked up the ball just inside his own half and unleashed a left-foot shot from 20 yards which flew past Howard.

It was Ghana's first goal at this World Cup from open play, having beaten Serbia and drawn with Australia in the group phase courtesy of two penalties.

But Boateng's strike demonstrated their firepower and they might have added to their lead with Gyan, who plays for French club Rennes, a constant threat.

So superior were Ghana in that first period that after 31 minutes a concerned USA coach Bob Bradley substituted midfielder Ricardo Clark, who had received an early booking, and brought on Maurice Edu.

The Americans picked up the tempo immediately and could have equalised after 35 minutes when Robbie Findley raced clear only to see his right-foot shot smartly saved by goalkeeper Richard Kingson.

The USA came out after half-time, however, with a more determined, more attacking attitude and the excellent Kingson was straight into the action, forced to pull off a splendid save from Benny Feilhaber.

With Fulham's Clint Dempsey at the heart of their good work the Americans surged forward and they received their reward after 62 minutes.

Dempsey was the architect, weaving his way through the Ghana defence into the penalty area where he drew the challenge and was brought down by defender Jonathan Mensah.

Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai pointed to the spot and Los Angeles Galaxy's Donovan stepped up to slide home his third goal in four matches.

The USA dream appeared back on, especially as they are a team who make a habit of stirring comebacks.

They had their chances. Jozy Altidore might have done better when clear after 80 minutes but he spooned his effort wide under pressure from a defender.

So to a frantic extra-time and Gyan's stunning strike which sent the USA home and Ghana into ecstasy.

USA Howard, Cherundolo, DeMerit, Bocanegra, Bornstein, Dempsey, Bradley, Clark (Edu 30), Donovan, Altidore (Gomez 91), Findley (Feilhaber 46).

Goal: Donovan 62 pen.

GHANA: Kingson, Inkoom (Muntari 113), Pantsil, John Mensah, Jonathan Mensah, Sarpei (Addy 72), Annan, Kevin-Prince Boateng (Appiah 78), Asamoah, Gyan, Andre Ayew.

Goals: Kevin-Prince Boateng 5, Gyan 93.

URUGUAY 2 SOUTH KOREA 1

Luis Suarez's double booked Uruguay's place in the World Cup quarter-finals as South Korea's adventure came to a heartbreaking end.

The Asian side looked to have turned the game around when Bolton midfielder Lee Chung-yong cancelled out Suarez's early strike with 68 minutes gone.

But amid a wintry downpour at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Ajax striker curled home a brilliant winner 10 minutes from time to confirm Oscar Tabarez's side as the first team to reach the last eight.

Uruguay were the better side before the break and deserved their half-time lead, but they had to survive a major fightback as Korea refused to give up on their dream, and Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera had to make a vital late save from substitute Lee Dong-gook to ensure the tie did not go to extra-time.

Tight games are often decided by fine margins, and that point will not have been lost on either coach within eight minutes of kick-off.

Had Park Cho-young's fifth-minute free-kick come off the inside, rather than the outside of the post with Muslera helpless, the ball might have ended up in the back of the net and Korea would have been in front.

But it did not, and three minutes later with South Korea keeper Jung Sung-ryong looking to claim Diego Forlan's teasing low cross when it was too late to do so, Suarez expertly steered the ball into the gaping net from a tight angle to double the dose for the Asian side.

In a half of few clear-cut chances, neither Muslera nor Jung had another save of any real note to make, although the Uruguay man was grateful to see two speculative late efforts from full-back Cha du-ri sail just over his crossbar.

South Korea, as their coach Huh Jung-moo had promised, played their usual attacking game, and Park Chu-young, as he has been throughout the competition to date, and skipper Park Ji-sung caused problems.

However, Uruguay, with Forlan prompting from just behind the front two, had just that little bit more guile going forward and were streetwise enough at the back - they went in at the break still to concede a goal in South Africa - to ensure they largely held sway.

South Korea returned knowing their World Cup was drawing to a close unless they could find a way back into the game, and they resumed with some intent.

Kim Jae-sung only just failed to connect with full-back Lee Young-pyo's cross after it had been dummied by Park Chu-young, and the striker himself blasted over with 51 minutes gone when he might have done better.

The equaliser came with 68 minutes gone after substitute Mauricio Victorino could only half-clear a free-kick and Lee Chung-yong headed home the loose ball with Muslera and defender Diego Lugano flat-footed.

Uruguay's response was swift and Jung had to turn away Suarez's 73rd-minute shot, and it was he who won the game with 10 minutes remaining when, after a Forlan corner had been headed out, he picked up possession on the left and curled home a superb shot off the inside of the upright.

URUGUAY: Muslera, Maxi Pereira, Lugano, Godin (Victorino 46), Fucile, Arevalo Rios, Perez, Pereira (Lodeiro 74), Forlan, Cavani, Suarez (Alvaro Fernandez 84).

Goals: Suarez 8, 80.

SOUTH KOREA: Jung, Cha, Cho, Jung-Soo Lee, Young-Pyo Lee, Ki (Yeom 85), Jung-Woo Kim, Jae-Sung Kim (Dong-Gook Lee 60), Ji-Sung Park, Chung-Yong Lee, Chu-Young Park.

Goal: Chung-Yong Lee 68.