Netherlands 2, Mexico 1: Dutch stun El Tri late in Fortaleza

For the sixth consecutive World Cup Mexico bows out in the round of 16, collapsing late against a resilient Dutch team.

Arjen Robben is the hero and the villain, depending on who you support, drawing a penalty in the dying moments of the game to secure a 2-1 result for the Netherlands. Hup Holland.

The Goals

GOAL! Giovani Dos Santos (MEX) 48 min. This game needed a moment of brilliance and they got one courtesy of Dos Santos. The Villarreal star chests down the ball and takes two strides, as Ron Vlaar and Daley Blind are caught ball watching. The finish is terrific, and it’s Dos Santos first goal for El Tri in two years. Great timing.

GOAL! Wesley Sneijder (NED) 88 min. He was absent for most of the match, making poor passes and conceding ground to Hector Herrera. That doesn’t matter now. Sneijder unleashes a rocket that no keeper can save, not even God Ochoa. Game on.

GOAL! Klaas Jan Huntelaar (NED) 90 + 4 min. Heartbreak for Mexico, euphoria for the Dutch. Arjen Robben is fouled by Rafa Marquez. It’s a dive and a penalty. Marquez was rightfully punished for an idiotic decision. Huntelaar coolly slots home the penalty and the Dutch are quarterfinal bound.

The Man of The Match - Arjen Robben

Robben is at the center of everything all the time. That’s what the best players do, and after a frustrating day in the heat one final probing move secured a penalty that was correctly called. Does Robben plummet to the ground in hilarious fashion? Yes. Did Rafa Marquez lunge in foolishly, warranting a foul call? Yes. Those are the breaks, unfortunately. He should have won a penalty in the first half as well, but that call was missed. 

Robben creates a serious divide among fans. You love his ability, but hate his theatrics. You must accept them both and embrace the truth: he’s one of the best players in the world.

The Controversy

For the first time a Cooling Break was taken during the World Cup. 30 minutes in to the match, temperatures reached 38.8 degrees. That’s stupid hot and it forced many fans to vacate their seats in the lower bowl. 

Somehow, one professional sports writer thought the Cooling Break was sacrilegious. It gave an advantage to the lesser conditioned athletes. In one sense the argument makes a bit of sense. In reality, it’s a crazy notion that harkens back to medieval times. These men are not robots. In extreme heat a Cooling Break is necessary. Read this to expand your mind and don’t feed the trolls.

What did the Netherlands do to win?

Robben, Daley Blind and Dirk Kuyt were outstanding for the Dutch. Blind filled in for an injured Nigel de Jong, taking over in the center of the midfield and not looking out of place at all. 

Kuyt’s work rate was ridiculous if not scary. The cooling breaks likely prevented his collapse on the field. That’s how much ground he covered.

In the end this was Arjen Robben’s game and he made sure of that in stoppage time.

The Takeaway

The Dutch look primed for a run to the semifinals as they await the winner of Costa Rica vs. Greece.

Mexico fail to make it past the round of 16 for the sixth consecutive World Cup. Somewhere along the way Mexico wrong the gods. Sports can suck.

The 1,000 Words

Stray Thoughts

Guillermo Ochoa made another amazing save,  deflecting a Stefan de Vrij shot onto the post. This man is going to get paid by somebody in the coming weeks and he’s well deserving. This is his tournament.

Wesley Sneijder is a shell of his former self. The Dutch midfielder was arguably the worst player on the pitch until he notched the late equalizer. That goal changed everything. Wesley is redeemed.

Miguel Herrera is the best and this is not a debate.

Nigel de Jong leaving just nine minutes into the match was a big loss for the Dutch. They lacked bite in the midfield after his exit.