WC MOTD: Brazil 0-3 Netherlands

By on July 12, 2014

Coming into Brazil’s final match of World Cup 2014, the tournament that they have played host to, hopes were high. It was their seventh match of the tournament, and while it wasn’t the seventh match that they hoped it would be, a third place playoff instead of the final, Brazil figured that at least their tournament could only improve following their 7-1 drubbing from Germany in the Semifinals. They were wrong.

By the end of the match, the mostly Brazilian crowd was once again jeering their own team. It hadn’t been a dreadful performance, but nonetheless, the Selecao’a defending looked shambles and two early and one late goal have the Netherlands a convincing win. Even with Thiago Silva back in the lineup following the center-back’s suspension for the Semifinals, it took just three minutes for the Brazilian defense to be broke. And it was Silva who was caught out. Robin van Persie brought down the ball and flicked it on to the overlapping run of Arjen Robben, setting him clear through on goal. The winger would have surely scored, if it had not been for Silva yanking the Bayern Munich star back by his shoulder. Silva for all the world should have been sent off, and while he got lucky in the respect that he got away with just yellow, the fact that the referee called the foul a penalty when it was clearly just outside the box made up for it for the Dutch – Van Persie coolly slotted home the spot-kick.

Brazil was already in disarray, and when Daly Blind made it two for the Netherlands only a quarter-hour in, they were on a worse pace than their drubbing from Germany. Once again the goal came through a defensive lapse from Brazil, as David Luiz headed off the line, straight to Blind who finished the chance from eight yards on the volley. It felt as if the match was already over and decided. A two goal definite felt like a mountain for the broken morale of Brazil to climb. And while they kept 58% of possession throughout the match, they never really found their rhythm or energy. The Dutch always felt comfortable and untouchably in the lead. Certainly, that was the feeling when Michel Vorm, the only player in the Netherland’s 23-man squad who was yet to feature in the tournament, replaced Jasper Cillessen in goal to be able to say he appeared at the tournament. It was a rather touching move from Louis Van Gaal, the Netherlands coach, but one that stung Brazilians. Georginio Wijnaldum had just bagged the Netherlands their third goal and surely the winner after finding himself with miles of space to beat Julio Cesar at his near post with a rather scuffed effort from a low cross, and the jeers began to ring at Brazil. The nation’s World Cup which they had come into with so much hope, pride, and confidence ended in tatters for Brazil.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.