Netherlands 2-1 Mexico: A late-game whirlwind
Trailing 1-0 until the 88th minute, the Netherlands staged a timely comeback, scoring two goals in the final five minutes. Winning 2-1, the Netherlands became the third team to advance to the quarter-finals, while Mexico were eliminated in the round of 16 for the sixth consecutive time.
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| Huntelaar's introduction proved crucial, scoring one goal and providing one assist. |
GOAL
Netherlands:Sneijder 88', Huntelaar (90'+3, pen)
Mexico:Dos Santos 48'
The Netherlands are considered the favorites against Mexico, but that doesn't mean they can afford to be complacent, especially playing in the harsh weather conditions of Fortaleza. Van Gaal continued to use a defensive-minded lineup, despite changes such as Janmaat and Indi making way for Verghaegh and Dirk Kuyt. The added threat of De Jong's injury and Martins Indi's continued presence, even though he wasn't fully fit, made the Netherlands even more cautious.
The Netherlands' cautious approach provided Mexico with an opportunity. Despite maintaining a solid defensive formation, the North American team consistently created dangerous chances thanks to their excellent short-passing game. In the 18th minute, Dos Santos passed the ball to Hector Herrera, who had a clear shot from 14 meters out, narrowly missing the post. Then, in the 42nd minute, Dos Santos himself had a one-on-one opportunity with Cillessen on the right flank but couldn't beat the Netherlands' last line of defense.
The calculated game plan of the first 45 minutes was unexpectedly disrupted by a moment of brilliance from Dos Santos. Just three minutes after the half-time break, and in what seemed like a harmless situation, Dos Santos controlled the ball surrounded by two Dutch defenders before unleashing a stunning shot from 20 meters out that found the back of the net.
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| Sneijder untangles the knot for the Netherlands. |
Following this unexpected goal, coach Van Gaal was forced to make changes to strengthen the attack. The Netherlands' formation was also pushed higher than before, switching from a 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3, and opportunities arose. In the 56th minute, De Vrij had a close-range shot after a corner kick, but goalkeeper Ochoa made a superb save for Mexico. Then, in the 74th minute, Ochoa again beat Arjen Robben in a one-on-one situation from a position slightly to the left.
With Mexico employing a defensive formation with a large number of players and goalkeeper Ochoa's excellent performance, a worst-case scenario for the Netherlands seemed imminent. However, in their most difficult moment, the Netherlands' experience and composure shone through at the right time.
The relentless pressure exerted by the Dutch team finally forced the Mexican defense to make a mistake. In the 88th minute, Huntelaar passed the ball back to...SneijderIn an open position, he scored to equalize the score at 1-1. Still reeling from the shocking goal, the Mexican defense continued to make mistakes. This time, captain Marquez fouled Robben inside the penalty area in the 93rd minute. Huntelaar was given the responsibility of taking the free kick and beat Ochoa to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory for the Netherlands.
STARTING LINEUP
Netherlands:Cillessen; Blind, Vlaar, De Vrij, Verghaegh (Depay 56'); Wijnaldum, De Jong (Indi 9'), Kuyt; Sneijder; Van Persie (Huntelaar 75'), Robben.
Mexico:Ochoa; Rodriguez, Marquez, Moreno (Reyes 46'); Aguilar, Herrera, Salcido, Guardado, Layun; Dos Santos (Aquino 61'), Peralta (Hernandez 75').
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