Goals: Holland—Fer 77’ Depay 90’+2
Recap: Holland won its third match of the 2014 World Cup, undressing Chile 2-0 in Sao Paulo.
Follow Sports World News' Complete World Cup Coverage Here
A mildly entertaining first half saw both teams enter the break scoreless. Holland had the opportunity to jump to a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute, but a darting run from Arjen Robben could only produce a fading shot wide of the post. The breakthrough finally came in the 77th minute. A towering header from Leroy Fer emphatically found the back of the net, giving Holland an insurmountable 1-0 lead. Memphis Depay sealed the victory in stoppage time.
The full three points allowed the Dutch to finish atop Group B and avoid Brazil in the Round of 16.
Key Moment: Head coach’s get paid to make tactical substitutions. Louis Van Gaal did just that for his national team. Tied at zero, it was van Gaal’s impact sub, Fer, that opened the affair. His other, Depay, sealed the victory.
Man of the Match: He’s not just the Man of the Match, he’s been the man of the tournament. A rejuvenated Robben has been a catalyst for Holland in Brazil. The 30-year-old continued his scorching form, providing an assist and four successful take ons.
Lesson Learned: Holland is one of the few European teams that can win the 2014 World Cup. The Dutch looked potent in the first round, undressing all three of their opponents in the Group of Death. They’ve done well to avoid Brazil in the Round of 16 and are poised to make another deep run in the tournament.
Up Next: Chile travels to Belo Horizonte to face the Group A winner on June 28, while Holland visits Fortaleza to meet with the runner-up on June 29.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
