FIFA World Cup 2014: Netherlands and Costa Rica

Netherlands

This strange team of Louis van Gaal doesn’t stop surprising. The match against Mexico was almost lost, when a corner on the 88^th minutes brought an equalizer and a hope to continue staying in Brazil. The goal was scored by the most anonymous of all the Dutch players – Wesley Sneijder. Up until this point the heat and the well-organized Mexican team gave no chances for the Dutch to perform. Van Gaal was even ought to take the captain van Persie out, to substitute him with the eventual hero of the match Huntelaar. However, the things did not go that strange at all. After the Mexicans had opened the score, they were thrown to defend the lead. More than half an hour of only attacking tasks was a luxury for the Netherlands, and the team found its play after 15 minutes of such circumstances. Since the second cooling break the Dutch, commanded by Arjen Robben and Memphis Depay, were very close to score. After the equalizer the psychological picture of the match was drastically changed, and it was a matter of time for the Netherlands to score the winner. It happened right before the extra time.

Netherlands is lucky to get the weakest team of the quarterfinals. Although Louis van Gaal keeps on saying that the Netherlands is not the favourite in this match, Costa Rica has not got the quality to show anything troublesome for the vice-champions of the world. The Netherlands has got two options: either wait and take the victory in the end of the match, as they did against Chile and Mexico, or smash the opponent from the beginning, not giving them a chance to increase their selv-confidence. I reckon Louis van Gaal chooses the second option.      

Matches played: 4

Goals scored - conceded: 12 - 4

Topscorer (s): van Persie, Robben (both - 3)  

Team marks: 7,0 + 4,5 + 5,5 + 6,0 = 23,0
Average mark: 5,75
Best players: Robben (5,5)

Place among 32: 2

Chances to win the World Cup: 13,15%

 

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s story has become a famous fairy tale among neutral fans. The team got Greece as an opponent, and managed to beat this European side. It was a battle of two teams that suddenly had appeared in the Round of 16. None of them was ready to take the initiative and get the winning goal. The second half got more intriguing, as Costa Ricans managed to score a goal in a situation, where no one, including the Greek goalkeeper and defenders, were expecting this to happen. And right after this the team remained with 10 men. For 30 minutes the Central American team was trying to defend the lead, but at last Greeks equalized and sent the play into extra time. And for another 30 minutes Costa Ricans were trying to take the game into after-match penalties. This time they made it, but only thanks to disastrous attacking abilities of Fernando Santos’s team. Greece missed lots of chances. The culmination took place in the second half if the extra time, as Greeks managed not to score after a counter-attack of five against two. Costa Ricans scored all of their five after-match penalties and are newcomers in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. 

The fairly tail is now very close to its end. With all respect to Jorge Luis Pinto’s work, Costa Rica is by far the weakest side in the quarterfinals. Their hero-defender Duarte was expulsed in the last match, so he will not be there to stop the “flying Dutch”. The only way to win the match is to stay firm in the back and not concede for the first 70-80 minutes. Then a quick counterattack by Joel Campbell might help them beat Louis van Gaal’s side. Of course, it is easier to say than to do. The chances of doing so are very low. Underestimating of opponents takes place in the group stage, but never in Play-offs.

 

Matches played: 4

Goals scored - conceded: 5 - 2

Topscorer (s): Ruiz (2)  

Team marks: 4,0 + 4,5 + 4,0 + 3,0 = 14,5
Average mark: 4,13
Best players: Campbell (2,5)

Final place among 32: 8

Chances to win the World Cup: 3,45%