Monday 30 June 2014

Dutch survive Mexico scare, in quarters!



  A stoppage-time penatly from Klaas Jan Huntelaar earned the Netherlands a dramatic 2-1 round of 16 win over Mexico in Fortaleza on Monday morning.  After a scoreless first half in sweltering heat, the breakthrough came in the 48th minute when Giovani Dos Santos unleashed a devastating long-range strike that dipped into the bottom corner.   The Dutch pressed for an equaliser, coming closest when Stefan de Vrij's header was incredibly kept out by Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa, but seemed unable to break a stubborn defence.  ​That was until the 88th minute, when Wesley Sneijder pounced on Klaas Jan Huntelaar's header and belted home from the edge of the area to equalise.  With extra-time looming, disaster struck for Mexico when Arjen Robben was clipped in the area, allowing Huntelaar the chance to win it from the spot - a chance he duly took.  The Netherlands, fortunate to scrape through, will now play either Costa Rica or Greece in the quarter-finals.

No comments:

Post a Comment