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LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — The Dutch had been outnumbered.
Argentina had one Lionel Messi and the Netherlands had none.
And nonetheless, the Oranje got here again and compelled further time in a World Cup quarterfinal for the ages by scoring within the 83rd minute after which on a playground-type restart within the eleventh — sure, eleventh! — minute of second-half stoppage time.
When Argentina escaped with a 4-3 penalty-kicks win following a 2-2 draw Saturday to succeed in a semifinal in opposition to Croatia, the Dutch crumpled to the sphere of their obvious orange uniforms, trying like a withered citrus grove. Wout Weghorst, at 6-foot-6, was flat on his again within the middle circle as Messi danced with teammates in entrance of tens of 1000’s of singing supporters.
“They gave every part, and I’m extremely proud,” coach Louis van Gaal stated. “They did every part they may to stop this from occurring.”
A nation that gave the world Whole Soccer a half-century in the past stays with a complete of zero World Cup titles, nonetheless trying up at Brazil (5), Germany and Italy (4 every), Argentina, France and Uruguay (two apiece) and England and Spain.
A famend innovator with coaches who appeal to youth prospects from world wide, the Netherlands has misplaced three World Cup finals. The Dutch took an early lead in 1974 earlier than dropping to host West Germany 2-1 they usually had been again within the championship match 4 years later solely to lose to host Argentina 3-1 in further time.
Their subsequent technology received a European Championship title in 1988 with Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten main them over the Soviet Union 2-0. However the large prize nonetheless eluded the Dutch.
Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie led them to a different last in 2010 however they misplaced 1-0 in further time to a superior Spain, then had been crushed by Messi and Argentina within the 2014 semifinals on penalty kicks. Again within the World Cup this yr after failing to qualify for 2018, they entered the quarterfinal with a 19-game unbeaten streak.
There have been simply 1,400 Dutch followers who caught out of their vibrant jerseys amongst a crowd of 88,235, about 90% in Argentina’s blue-and-white-striped jerseys with Messi’s No. 10 on the again.
Messi’s sublime no-look pass set up Nahuel Molina’s 35th-minute goal, and Messi doubled the lead when he converted a penalty kick in the 73rd after Denzel Dumfries pushed Marcos Acuña at the edge of the penalty area.
“I feel that penalty was awarded quite simply,” Van Gaal stated.
Taking goal at a tall job, Van Gaal opted for peak. He inserted Weghorst, who headed a Steven Berghuis cross past Emiliano Martínez in the 83rd.
Benches cleared 5 minutes in a while an evening of a World Cup file 17 yellow playing cards plus a postgame crimson.
After which got here the most important twist of all. After Germán Pezzella fouled Weghorst to offer the Dutch a free kick from 22 yards, Teun Koopmeiners began a play seen in coaching however virtually by no means in video games: He sent a low kick along the ground into the wall, where Weghorst took a touch, spun and sent the ball past Martínez.
And that’s the place the rating remained after further time, after the drama of Enzo Fernández hitting a put up within the second further interval’s stoppage time.
“We thought that we might be capable to win when it got here to penalties,” Van Gaal stated.
Captain Virgil van Dijk took the primary and Martínez dived proper to push the ball away. After Messi transformed, Martínez sprawled left to disclaim Berghuis.
When Enzo Fernández put his attempt off a put up, the Dutch had a gap, however Lautaro Martínez sent his kick to the right of keeper Andries Noppert, who dived left.
Because the celebration prolonged, Messi and Van Gaal exchanged words.
“This was my final match,” stated Van Gaal, ending his third time period in control of the Oranje. “I look again in a constructive manner.”
He was requested to evaluate his efficiency and talked about the group’s 20-game unbeaten streak.
“I don’t know what number of we received (14), however you test all that. I feel it’s Google,” he stated. “Dutch group and Louis van Gaal and aim distinction.”
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AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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