Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie. Anytime you get those names playing on the same field at the same time, entertainment will most likely ensue. Argentina and Holland, two of the biggest names in world soccer will kick off at the Arena Corinthians on Wednesday in search of the chance to play on soccer’s biggest stage, the World Cup Final. The Argentineans seemingly breezed their way into the semifinal while the Dutch had to face some adversity on their path to Sao Paulo.
During Group B play, the Dutch for the most part looked dominant winning all three of their games. They pummeled holders Spain 5-1, hiccupped against Australia but still beat them 3-2, and then breezed by Chile 2-0.
Despite looking very good during the group stage, it has been the knockout rounds that have made many question whether or not this team is as good as advertised. They were nearly beaten by Mexico, only to score two goals in the final five minutes, one of those causing a ton of controversy as it looked like Arjen Robben went down in the box too easily. It was then Costa Rica in the quarterfinal that held them scoreless for 120 minutes, only for the Dutch to go through on penalty kicks. So to say that they have been the best side in this tournament is still up for debate.
When the orange jerseys of Holland step onto the pitch in Sao Paulo on Wednesday, they will need to execute their game plan to absolute perfection if they want to have a chance at beating what has probably been the strongest side in this year’s tournament. For a team that many said was too young to compete this year, the Dutch have shown their resilience over and over again. It seems like each game a new player steps up. One game it was Robin van Persie, the next it was Arjen Robben, then came Memphis Depay and Wesley Sneijder. Having the depth within a roster that the Dutch have is a pleasure for any coach.
Outside of Van Persie and Robben though, they don’t have too many superstars. What they do have is a great coach who tactically never seems to be wrong and a roster full of players who know what their roles are. Holland are the most dangerous when they are given the opportunity to counter; so winning balls in the midfield and establishing their physical dominance early on is very important. Robin van Persie will need to once again give the Dutch a presence up top, as his last two appearances have been less than stellar.
When it comes to stopping Argentina, the term stop Lionel Messi has been used more than almost any other phrase in the world of soccer. He is the motor to their engine and everything moving forward for the Argentines goes through the Barcelona man. It is impossible to get the ball off of him, so they need to make sure that they keep a close eye on the Argentinean strikers who love to get in behind defensive lines that play for an offside trap.
There is no doubt that Holland should be in the position to play in the semifinal. I just think that Argentina, despite losing Di Maria, is the best side in this tournament. Messi has played better than he ever has on the international stage and has the players around him who make Argentina that much more dangerous.
The game will kick off at 4PM EST at the Arena de Sao Paolo in Sao Paolo, Brazil. It can be seen on ESPN and streamed on WatchESPN here. If you prefer to watch the live stream in Spanish, it can be viewed here. It will surely be an open ended game as both teams carry with them a very strong squad that can attack better than any side in the world.
My Prediction: Argentina wins 2-1
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