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28 March 2024

Fifa World Cup Round of 16: Late Dutch double hands Mexico second-round exit

Published
By Football Correspondent and Agencies

Netherlands substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar set up one goal and converted a penalty in the dying minutes as they recovered to beat Mexico 2-1 in an astonishing finale to their World Cup last 16 clash on Sunday.

The result condemned the unfortunate Mexicans, who were 1-0 up with two minutes to go and seemingly headed for the last eight for the first time since 1986, to a sixth second-round exit in six consecutive tournaments.

Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder broke Mexican hearts when he drilled home an unstoppable half-volley to equalise after a knock down from Huntelaar following a corner.

With extra time looming, the Netherlands' livewire winger Arjen Robben weaved into the penalty area and went down under a challenge from Mexico captain Rafael Marquez.

The Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca pointed to the spot and Huntelaar calmly sent goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa the wrong way with a perfectly executed penalty kick.

The Dutch, who were on the back foot for much of the game, will play either Greece or Costa Rica in Salvador next Saturday and will fancy their chances of making the last four.

It was a heart-breaking end for Mexico, who have now reached the last 16 at every World Cup from 1994 and always lost.

Their last quarter-final appearance was in 1986 on home soil and the only other time they made it to the last eight was in 1970, when the finals were also in Mexico.

"The tension was unbelievable, I've never lived through anything like that," Dutch defender Daley Blind said.

"We showed a lot of character in coming back. We couldn't find our men with our passes in the first half, we struggled to get to the ball, but we came back stronger in the second."

DIVING CLAIMS


Robben had two earlier appeals for penalties turned down, and Mexico coach Miguel Herrera accused the Dutchman of diving.

"Three times he dived," he said. "We'd done really well but then we sit back and we start to give chances to a team that hadn't done anything."

Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal praised his players' stamina on a searingly hot day at the Castelao arena.

"Until the very last minute we were fresher and fitter than the Mexicans," he said. "My players deserve a big compliment. Not only did they have belief and faith that they could perform today, they were also fit for this match."

Mexico dominated the early exchanges while the Netherlands' best chance of the first half came at the end, when some sloppy Mexican defending let Robben in on goal.

As he teed up a shot, defender Hector Moreno intervened with a desperate sliding tackle and appeared to catch Robben's trailing foot.

The Dutchman went down and appealed for a penalty but the referee waved play on.

The Mexicans took the lead just after the break through striker Giovani Dos Santos, who chested the ball down 30 metres from goal before firing a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner of the net.

The Dutch almost equalised 10 minutes later when their big centre back Stefan De Vrij forced a brilliant reflex save from Guillermo Ochoa in the Mexican goal.

He parried the effort on to his left hand post and his defenders cleared it to safety.

Then came the Netherlands onslaught and the last-gasp drama, which saw them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and keeps alive their hopes of winning the World Cup for the first time.

FULL TIME

Netherlands 2 (Sneijder 88"  Huntelaar 90+4"-pen)  Mexico 1 (Dos Santos 48")

Netherlands found their second gear to deny Mexico in a dramatic finish at Fortaleza.

Netherlands 2 (Sneijder 88" 
Huntelaar 90+4"-pen)  Mexico 1 (Dos Santos 48")

90+4" PENALTY! Heartbreak for Mexico as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar blasts the penalty into the bottom left corner with Ochoa going the other way.

90+2" Robben finally gets a penalty after being nicked by Marquez who gets a yellow card.

90" There are six minutes of added time and the match seems headed for extra-time.

Netherlands 1 (Sneijder 88")  Mexico 1 (Dos Santos 48")

88" GOAL! Sneijder gets the equaliser for Dutch with a stunning volley.

Robben's corner is nodded back by Huntelaar into the edge of the area for Sneijder to smash it into the left corner with Ochoa watching helplessly.

84" Ochoa makes another outstanding save as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar attempts to flick a corner in but the flag has been raised.

82" Mexico are seing more of the ball with Hernandez lurking dangerously while the Ducth are looking to counter.

79" Salcido breaks through but is wayward with his shot which sails over the cross bar as play resumes after the break.

76" Man United super sub Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez comes on for Peralta while Dutch skipper Robin van Persie makes way for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar as the second cooling break is taken.

75" Robben's corner is headed over by Vlaar.

74" Ochoa denies Robben who hurdles over a defender before striking with his weaker right foot.

72" Sneijder fires into the crowd behind the goal much to his frustration.

71" Herrera fires into the six-yard box with Peralta waiting but there is too much weight into it.

69" YELLOW! Aguilar is the first player to be booked and will miss the next match.

67" Peralta has the ball in the net after being flagged offside.

63" Robben is firing all cyclinders and is just wide with a cross with Sneijder stretching to latch onto it.

61" Giovani dos Santos makes way for Javier Aquino.

60" Robben runs circles around the Mexican defence and sets up Sneijder whose shot is deflected by a defender.

58" Dutch get yet another set piece and come agonisinly close to getting the equaliser with Ochoa parrying Stefan de Vrij's nudge out off the post.

57" Louis van Gaal makes a tactical change with Paul Verhaegh making way for Memphis Depay with Dirk Kuyt going to right-back.

55" Cillessen is forced into a save after another cracking volley from Peralta.

53" Sneijder hammers a free kick into the wall after van Persie is fouled.

50" Mexico almost double their lead with Marquez sending a header over the bar from 12 yards.

Netherlands 0 Mexico 1 (Dos Santos 48")

48" GOAL! Giovani Dos Santos skips inside and blasts a left-footed shot in the bottom right corner.

47" Peralta burst through the Orange wall into the box before the defence regroups.

46" Diego Reyes comes in for Hector Moreno for Mexico in the only change at the break.

HALF-TIME

Netherlands 0 Mexico 0

45+2" Dutch miss a great opportunity after a mistake by a defender finds Robin van Persie in space but Robben is tackled by Marquez.

42" Cillessen makes a smart stop with his knee after Dos Santos finds space at the far post.

41" Dutch get their first corner which they roll it short and it comes to nothing.

40" Dutch are enjoying possession but fail to break the shackles.

36" Layun has another opportunity as play resumes after the break but his low cross is gathered comfortably by Cillessen.

32" Portugal referee Pedro Proenca calls the first ever official cooling break at the World Cup.

30" Mexico are dominant with Netherlands reduced to a walking pace after half an hour.

27" Robin van Persie gets behind the Mexico defence for the first time but slices a right-footed shot wide.

26" Bruno Martins clears the danger momentarily after Marquez floats a long ball into the box.

24" Cillessen manages to push away a decent volley from Salcido which caught the Dutch stopper by surprise.

20" Mexico win their first corner but have a penalty appeal turned down after Ron Vlaar's boot was very high on Herrera.

17" Hector Herrera sends a low shot sliding past the left-hand post after Giovani Dos Santos and Oribe Peralta were crowded out in the Dutch box.

16" Dutch are attacking from the left flank but fail to breach the defence with Robben is blocked by Marquez.

13" Mexico look threatening in the early exchanges with Peralta cutting inside on the right byline while Santos nearly nicks a cross home.

10" Netherlands forced into an early change with Bruno Martins Indi coming on as Nigel de Jong limps off.

9" Dutch get first opportunity after Robben is tripped but Sneijder's kick  flies low into the wall.

7" Awkward moment for Dutch keeper Cillessen who races out of his goalmouth, unconvincingly slicing clear as Mexico's Oruibe Peralta charges towards him.

5" Layun goes for goal again with his shot drifting wide of the near post after Herrera weaves his way through skipping three tackles.

2" Layun takes the first crack at goal curling a long range just wide of the far post.

1" Mexico get us under way.

Robin van Persie returned to the Dutch attack for Sunday's World Cup second-round match against Mexico while Dirk Kuyt will win his 100th cap and is likely to start on the left side of defence.

Van Persie was suspended for the Netherlands' last game against Chile but returns to partner Arjen Robben. They have scored six goals between them at this World Cup.

Kuyt, usually a forward, played as left back against Chile and is likely to do so again.

On the other side of the Dutch defence, Paul Verhaegh comes in as a surprise replacement for Daryl Janmaat.

Mexico make one change to the side that beat Croatia in their last outing, veteran midfielder Carlos Salcido coming in for the suspended Jose Juan Vasquez to win his 122nd cap.

TEAMS

Teams for Sunday's 2014 World Cup Round of 16 match between Netherlands and Mexico at the Castelao arena, Fortaleza.

Netherlands: 1-Jasper Cillessen; 12-Paul Verhaegh, 3-Stefan de Vrij, 2-Ron Vlaar, 5-Daley Blind; 6-Nigel de Jong, 20-Georginio Wijnaldum; 10-Wesley Sneijder, 11-Arjen Robben; 9-Robin van Persie, 15-Dirk Kuyt

Substitutes: 4-Bruno Martins Indi, 7-Daryl Janmaat, 8-Jonathan de Guzman, 13-Joel Veltman, 14-Terence Kongolo, 16-Jordy Clasie, 17-Jeremain Lens, 18-Leroy Fer, 19-Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 21-Memphis Depay, 22-Michel Vorm, 23-Tim Krul

Mexico: 13-Guillermo Ochoa; 7-Miguel Layun, 3-Carlos Salcido, 15-Hector Moreno, 4-Rafael Marquez, 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 22-Paul Aguilar; 18-Andres Guardado, 6-Hector Herrera; 10-Giovani Dos Santos; 19-Oribe Peralta

Substitutes: 1-Jesus Corona, 5-Diego Reyes, 8-Marco Fabian, 9-Raul Jimenez, 11-Alan Pulido, 12-Alfredo Talavera, 14-Javier Hernandez, 16-Miguel Ponce, 17-Isaac Brizuela, 20-Javier Aquino, 21-Carlos Pena

Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal)

PREVIEW

Netherlands, who along with Colombia have lit up the World Cup in Brazil, face a tough test of their tournament credentials when they take on Mexico in the last 16 in Fortaleza on Sunday.

Surprise Group D winners Costa Rica meet Greece in Recife in the day's second match with the winners moving on to play the Dutch or Mexico.

Finalists in 1974, 1978 and 2010 but never champions, Netherlands powered their way to three wins in the group stage, with strikers Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben in outstanding form.

Mexico, however, have proved doughty fighters. They were unbeaten in their group games, including holding hosts Brazil to a draw. In Guillermo Ochoa, they have arguably the best goalkeeper in the tournament.

Costa Rica are brimming with confidence after topping a group that included three former world champions - Italy, Uruguay and England. They have yet to concede a goal in open play - a penalty against Uruguay being the only score against them.

A dogged Greece side will be playing in the last 16 for the first time. They started badly with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Colombia but secured qualification when a last-minute penalty gave them a victory over Ivory Coast.