Chapter 204 The Strongest Netherlands

In this semi-final between Belgium and the Netherlands, both sides looked cautious after the opening. The first thing they thought of was to strengthen their defense. Belgium wanted to defend the championship, while the Netherlands wanted to complete their revenge.

François and Van Gaal, the head coaches of the two teams, are very clear about each other's strength. Because of this, after the opening, they seem to be a little unable to let go of their hands and make sure that there is no problem with their defense. On this basis, the quality of the counterattack is coincidentally thought by both sides.

However, playing like this is not the style of the two teams. As the game progresses, the pace of the two teams gradually accelerated, and the scene became good.

In the tenth minute of the game, when Sneder passed the ball, he made a mistake, as if he had tripped over something. The ball was broken by Fellaini. After breaking the ball, he directly blocked the ball directly and passed it to the feet of Hazard's Dembélé. While receiving the ball, he completed the turn, and at this time , Degan and Lukaku have rushed towards the Dutch team's penalty area.

If Dembélé can pass the ball at this time, Belgium will get an excellent chance to score, but at this time, De Jong, the captain of the Dutch team, suddenly rushed over from the left and shoveled fiercely.

Seeing this, Dembélé wanted to pick up the ball to avoid it, but De Jong's tackle came so fast that he couldn't wait for Dembélé to deal with it, so he stabbed the ball under his feet away.

The Dutch fans at the scene suddenly burst into applause to encourage De Jong's key interception.

That's right! Nowadays, this Dutch team is really not comparable to the previous Dutch national teams. It is no exaggeration to say that the stars are dim, but this Dutch team is the most successful one to balance offense and defense.

In the past, the Dutch team claimed the balance of attack and defense, but in fact, except for the original Cruyff era and the Three Musketeers era, because of the excellent defensive players who can achieve this essence to the extreme, it is difficult for every other Dutch team to achieve a real offensive and defensive balance, often pursuing a strong Attack power and ignoring defense at the same time. Although all Dutch teams have become the focus of fans in every international competition and attracted countless admirers, every achievement is not satisfactory.

At the World Cup in South Africa, Van Malvik began to focus on building the Dutch team's defensive system, with his son-in-law Van Bomel as the core, and then launched a counterattack on the basis of emphasizing defense. Although he was slandered by Kruiff's immortals, he won the runner-up in the World Cup.

After Van Gaal took over, it also continued Van Malvik's style and improved the team's attack power on the basis of emphasizing defense. Of course, the Dutch team impressed people most, but it is still has a strong defensive ability.

In the next game, even Degan's several breakthroughs with the ball were stopped by several Dutch team, which made Degan so embarrassed that the Dutch team can be called unique.

This is also what Van Gaal emphasized before the game is the defense of Degan. Van Gaal is very aware of the threat of Degan. Therefore, before this semi-final, he focused on practicing the team's defensive routine, and there is no way to prevent Degan. This is a recognized fact in the football circle. At present, the Dutch team's defense is very good.

However, while emphasizing defense, the weakening of attack power is also inevitable. In the previous few games, Van Persie and Robben, who played very well, performed much worse in this game. They lacked enough support from the midfield on the front line. In most cases I can only fight alone.

Therefore, the Dutch attack mainly focused on the long-range shot in the midfield. In the thirteenth minute of the game, Kuite chose to cross after advancing a distance along the side road. Sneid followed up and volleyed from the edge of the penalty area, but failed to be dangerous to Courtois and went out of the far corner.

Just a minute later, Belgium burned the war to the Dutch team's half-time. Vlaar fouled Azar in front of the penalty area. Belgium won a good free kick opportunity. Digan stood in front of the ball and started the game for more than ten minutes. As an important fire support for the Belgian team Digan didn't even take a shot.

However, the excellent free kick in this position also failed to bring goals to Belgium. Degan hit the goal vigorously. Although Silesen got out of the ball for the first time, the second reaction was very fast. Before Lukaku made a make-up shot, he jumped forward and pressed the ball under him and steadily confiscated it.

"The game lasted 15 minutes. Judging from the current situation, the two sides seem to be evenly matched, but the Dutch team has focused mainly on defense, which will make them very passive!"

Sure enough, as the commentator said, in the next game, the Belgian team's offensive gradually became fierce, gradually gaining the upper hand of the game and gaining continuous corner kick opportunities.

In the 24th minute, Hazard made a corner kick, and Degan headed the ball back. Lukaku was on the edge of the small penalty area and headed the goal before Vlaar cleared the siege, but unfortunately it was slightly higher.

In the 27th minute, Degan pulled to the side to catch the ball. After breaking through the two defenders of the Dutch team in a row, he suddenly chose to cut inside. After deducting the defensive Flear, he volleyed. Sealerson's reaction was very fast. He fell to the ground and blocked the ball with his fingertips, and his second reaction was even faster. It's unbelievable that before the football was about to roll out of the bottom line, he jumped over and pressed the ball under him, not even giving the Belgian team a chance to kick a corner.

Although the Dutch team's defense did a good job and continuously resolved the Belgian team's attack, Van Gaal on the sidelines couldn't help but feel a little anxious when he saw that the team was passive. He got up and walked to the sidelines and made several gestures to the court. After that, the Dutch team's defense suddenly became more fierce and many times When Lishi first launched the attack, they interrupted the rhythm of the game with a foul, which naturally caused a lot of boos from the fans on the scene, and even the fans of the Dutch team expressed dissatisfaction with the Dutch team's approach.

Because in people's impression, Dutch football should be very elegant, rather than becoming a synonym for violent football as it is now.

Although the Netherlands is a small country, it is absolutely a giant in the world of football. It has enjoyed a high reputation in world football for many years.

From this fertile soil that nurtured football stars, dozens of world-famous superstars, John. Cruyff, Luther. Gulit, Van. Basten, Frank. Rije Calder, Dennis. Borgkamp.

Before the 1970s, Dutch football has always been a supporting role in European football powers. Although clubs were established in the Netherlands as early as the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, due to insufficient attention and lack of **, the people have developed the level of football. Exceptionally slow.

Before 1970, Dutch football left little impression on people. If it is forced, the Dutch team's record of winning three Olympic bronze medals is worth mentioning. In addition to the suspension of the 6th Olympic Games due to the World War, the Dutch team won bronze medals in London in 1908, Stockholm in 1912, and Antwerp in 1920. However, in 1908, only Britain, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands participated in the competition, and the Dutch team was actually the second to last.

But at the 1974 World Cup, the Dutch team advanced all the way, holding high a new banner of full attack and defense, and reached the final. That was the first confrontation between the Netherlands and the former Federal Germany in the history of the World Cup. However, this battle opened the prelude to the enmity between the two teams.

At the Munich Olympic Stadium, the Dutch team unfortunately lost 1:2 to the Federal Republic of Germany with Beckenbauer and Muller, ranking second.

The first-class Dutch team has left a brilliant mark in the history of the World Cup. Just one minute after the opening, the Dutch team made 16 dazzling passes in a row. Cruyff broke through the defense. Vogelz was forced to trip him down. Neskens hit a penalty. The Germans had not even touch the ball, and the gate has been broken. It can be seen that the technical and tactical level of the Dutch team is high.

became the world runner-up from a trivial third-rate role, and Michels, the head coach at that time, made great contributions.

The level of Dutch football, which began to enter a virtuous circle, has steadily improved. Crewef, Neskens, Lensenbrink and other stars are more mature, and the powerful Dutch "pirates" once again reached the final of the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, against the 1974 World Cup. The 0:4 loss to Argentina in the Netherlands in the final is considered the best time for the Netherlands to be crowned champion.

If it hadn't been for Cruyff's arrogance and disdain to contribute to the national team, perhaps the history of the World Cup would have been rewritten, and the Dutchman would not have been called the "uncrowned king".

The stars are old, and what's worse is the lack of a core figure. The Dutch team fought hard for 120 minutes and was once again abandoned by the goddess of luck.

Argentina "enthroned the throne" in the World Cup for the first time after defeating the Netherlands 3:1 in overtime with two shots and one pass from Green fighter Kempes.

The Dutch team has been depleted, and a painful period of youth and yellowness has come. The strength of the Dutch is beyond question, but they have never been able to unite. This is also the main reason why they have been selected as popular every time, but have been repeatedly eliminated. This is what any team should take warning. A lesson.

However, despite these and such problems, football is still the pride of the Dutch. While exporting tulips to the world, the Netherlands also produces a large number of world-class stars, Robben, Van der Vart, Sneed, Van. Nistrui, Huntelaar, in the eyes of the world, the cornerstone of Dutch football is so solid that if it hadn't been for the internal unity problem, they would have dominated the world long ago.

Van Gaal once said, "Dutch football is a football that creates art."

But now it is difficult for this Dutch team to talk about art. Although there are enough big stars, the Dutch don't think that they really can't play elegant art football, so when the fans in the stands see that the Dutch team on the court is so ugly, they can't help protesting. .

But Van Gaal is not moved at all. He has always been a stubborn person. There will always be only one voice in his team. Although at this moment, I'm afraid that the Dutch players on the court disdain the football they are playing now, they can only do it desperately, otherwise, cold board The stool is their destination.

Gradually, even Van Persie, who was at the front, retreated to the midfield to participate in the defense, and when defending Degan, he shoveled fiercely and hit Degan, and was shown the first yellow card of the game by the referee.

There were boos in the stands for a while, and it seemed that even the fans of the Dutch team were about to defect, but Van Gaal still had no intention of changing at all.

Until the end of the first half, the data handed over by the Dutch team in defense turned out to be 19 fouls and 3 yellow cards. This is completely a Dutch team outside people's impression. Strange people can't help but think that it is disguised by other teams.

After the half-time break, after the start of the second half, Van Gaal quickly made the first substitution adjustment and replaced Indy with Janmat.

And in the following games, the Dutch team showed a completely different style from the first half. If in the first half, the Dutch team almost lost the team's attack in order to strengthen their defense, then at the beginning of the second half, the Dutch team finally became familiar again.

Press it! Attack!

Originally, I wanted to increase the attack in the second half to solve Belgium in the Netherlands as soon as possible, but suddenly found that the Dutch team actually attacked against them, which was a completely unexpected crazy attack, which disrupted the rhythm of the Belgian team.

In the fiftieth minute, the Dutch team, which suddenly accelerated, suddenly sent the ball to Robben's feet after a few uninterrupted passes. The Belgian team, which was disrupted, also had a huge gap in defense. After seeing Robben take the ball, he wanted to break through to the penalty area and had lost his best defensive position. Mullen could only choose to foul Robben and get a yellow card, followed by a free kick and a slight deviation.

Although this attack failed to form a score in the end, it sounded the horn of the Dutch team's counterattack!

At the same time, the Belgian team, which gradually stabilized its position, was not willing to show weakness, and also suppressed it and fought against the Dutch team.

In the 58th minute, Fellaini in the backcourt sent a direct pass. De Bruyne made a cross on the right edge of the penalty area, and Degan headed the ball on the edge of the small penalty area. Silesen, who played bravely in this game, surrendered, but was blocked on the goal line by Janmat, who appeared as a substitute in the second half.

In the 71st minute, Hazard sent a pass from the side, Degan headed the ball back, and the shot from the left side of the penalty area was blocked by Flar.

When the game went on to seventy-four minutes, the deadlock on the field was finally broken. Robben passed the ball, Janmat passed the ball from the right, and Van Persie's shot was blocked by Curtua, but Sneid, who suddenly inserted forward, grabbed the landing point of the football. Without waiting for the football to land, he went straight He volleyed and scored the ball, 1:0!

Seeing that the Dutch team took the lead, the Dutch fans at the scene burst into cheers, and the whole stadium boiled in an instant.

But the Dutch's joy lasted less than three minutes. After the game restarted, Belgium did not seem to be affected by the goal, and the attack was still very sharp. Dembélé scored the ball in the middle. After De Bruyne got the ball, he ran along the right road and sent a cross. Degan stopped at the chest at the front point. After the ball, he turned around and volleyed, and the football went straight into the goal from the near corner, 1:1!

The fans on both sides were stunned to see that the Belgian team equalized the score so quickly, and the Dutch fans who were still celebrating the goal were even more dumbfounded.

At the same time, Van Gaal, who was originally ready to order to start defending, did not know what to do next. Their original plan was to defend in the first half, attack with the other side in the second half, strive for the first goal, and then defend with all their strength, depleting Belgium, but before he fully implemented the plan, as a result Belgium scored a goal.

What should we do next? The Dutch team, which did not receive new instructions, could only continue to fight against Belgium on the field, and the situation on the field fell into an impasse again.

The time of the game is passing minute by, and it is about to enter the injury stoppage time stage. The offensive of the two sides is still very fierce. Although Belgium with Degan has some advantages, the Dutch team, which has let go of its hands and feet, has also put great pressure on the Belgian team.

The Dutch team even almost completed the final shot in the first minute of the injury stoppage time of the game. The veteran Kuite penetrated the Belgian defense, Sneid's heel made a wonderful pass, and Robben broke through to the edge of the penalty area. At that time, Francois's position was very unsatisfactory and could be said to have lost the possibility of saving. But at the critical moment, Compani made contributions and made a very critical block.

The game finally entered overtime. It seems that the attack just now gave Van Gaal confidence. At the beginning of the injury stoppage time, he made a substitution adjustment to replace Van Persie, who had physical problems with Huntelaar, who completed the 1/8 final.

In the 99th minute, Sneder passed the ball, and Robben's strong shot in front of the penalty area on the right side was blocked by Kurtua. Huntler, who followed the make-up shot, actually hit the corner kick on the goal post in the face of such an excellent scoring opportunity. The Dutch missed a chance to make a final shot.

Then, Belgium also made a counterattack, retreating to the midfielder, broke Sneid's ball, and then ran all the way. When the Dutch defender jumped over, a long shot missed.

In 115 minutes, the Belgian team almost completed the final kill. Hazard made a pass, and Degan rushed to the penalty area, overwhelmed the Dutch defender and headed the goal. Unfortunately, Silesen, who played extremely well in this game, made a save that could go down in history at this time. He was completely lost. Go to the position and block the ball with your foot if you have made a wrong judgment.

Degan, who missed the chance to kill, also looked very annoyed and kicked directly on the post of the goal, making the whole goal shake.

But in the next game, although the physical fitness of both sides showed serious problems, neither side gave up the hope of ending their opponents. Just two minutes later, Belgium burned the war to the Dutch half. De Bruyne, who became more and more crazy, was destined to complete the transfer from star to superstar in this World Cup. It changed. After a continuous breakthrough on the right side, he made a cross from the bottom. At this time, due to physical reasons, the Dutch team made a serious mistake in defense. After the unguarded Degan took the ball near the penalty spot, he volleyed and hit a rebound ball, but was once again directly confiscated by the same crazy Silessen. .

Seeing the ecstatic appearance of Sillerson, who had completed the key rescue, Degan was only depressed!

The overtime has also come to an end, and almost everyone believes that the semi-finals will be destined to be won by penalty kicks.

Van Gaal also began to command the team to shrink the formation and let Krull warm up, ready to replace the goalkeeper who performed well in the previous knockout penalty shootout with Costa Rica.

The referee is also constantly looking at the watch and is ready to end the game at any time!

Even the coaching staff of the Belgian team was summoned by François to study the order of players in the penalty shootout.

But at this time, it is time to reflect the ability of a superstar, especially the superstar with the title of the world's champion.

When the overtime lasted for 120 minutes and the referee suspended the game at any time, Fellaini passed the ball seemingly inadvertently and the football reached Degan's feet.

When Degan turned around, the alarm immediately sounded in the hearts of all the Dutch, just like McGrady's moment on the NBA basketball court. On the football field, there is also the saying of Degan's moment. Whenever the game is coming to end, as Degan's opponent, the first thing to pay attention to This madman has the ability to end the game at any time.

Take the ball and turn around to start!

At this moment, Degan seems to have just started the game. When everyone has physical problems and the running gradually becomes slow, Degan's speed seems to be unaffected at all.

"Digan broke through with the ball, God! His speed is so fast. Is his physical fitness not affected at all after playing 120 minutes of the game? The Dutch tried their best to stop Degan, but Degan showed his horrible side at this moment. Flaar's hands and feet failed to stop him and rush! Keep rushing! Degan is going to kill again!"

He ran all the way to the penalty area. At this time, Sneid, who returned to defense, rushed towards him. It was still far away, and he was directly a flying shovel!