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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport

World Cup 2010: Holland v Uruguay in pictures

Holland v Uruguay: General view of the Sun setting over Green Point stadium
The first semi-final at this year's World Cup takes place at Green Point stadium and promises to be an intriguing affair. The neutrals and believers in fair play will be cheering on Holland after Suárez's hand (and some poorly-taken penalties) robbed Ghana of a place in the semis but la celeste olímpica won't care as they attempt to win their third World Cup. In case you're interested fact fans, they are the smallest country (with a population of 3.3m) to have ever won the tournament
Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Holland v Uruguay: Uruguay fans with a banner about the cheating Suarez
The Uruguay fans must be the only people who think this
Photograph: Fernando Vergara/AP
Holland v Uruguay: Holland fans before the Semi-final against Uruguay
Holland's fans show what they think of the matter
Photograph: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto Ltd
Holland v Uruguay: A prediction of the Semi-Final result in the Uruguay dressing room
A prediction of the result is made in the Uruguay dressing room
Photograph: Alex Livesey /FIFA via Getty Images
Holland : Uruguay's Alvaro Pereira and Holland's Gregory van der Wiel
It's an open start and both teams are pushing forward in an attempt to create chances. Five minutes in, Uruguay midfielder Alvaro Pereira (left) has a half-chance, well, it was more like an eighth of a chance as he tries to beat Stekelenburg in the Holland goal from 45 yards out. However, the only person likely to be troubled by it is the person in seat 47 in row Z
Photograph: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images
Holland : Joris Mathijsen knocks the ball away from Uruguay's Diego Forlan
Joris Mathijsen slides in to knock the ball away from Uruguay's danger man Diego Forlan. The only time that the two teams have met previously in the World Cup was in a group game 1974, which the Dutch won 2-0 with Jonny Rep scoring both goals. Forlan's father Pablo played in the match and Diego must be hoping he has better luck than his father did 36 years ago
Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
Holland : Netherlands' Van Bronckhorst shoots and opens the scoring
Eighteen minutes in and Holland's captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst opens the scoring with one of the goals of the tournament. He receives the ball about 35 yards out with no-one around him, takes one touch to control it, then absolutely leathers it and the ball flies like an arrow, straight and true ...
Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Holland versus Uruguay: Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera fails to save a shot by Van Bronckhorst
... Uruguay's goalkeeper Fernando Muslera dives and just gets the faintest of fingertip touches to the ball, but not enough to stop it as it flies into the top corner
Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Holland : Netherlands' Giovanni van Bronckhorst celebrates after scoring goal
After a strike of that quality Van Bronckhorst has every right to celebrate
Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters
Holland versus Uruguay: Netherlands' striker Arjen Robben shields the ball from Martin Caceres
As in the Brazil game, Arjen Robben is yet again the recipient of a number of clattering challenges aimed at putting him off his stride
Photograph: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Dirk Kuyt beats the Uruguay offside trap but his diving header goes wide
Dirk Kuyt beats Uruguay's offside trap but his diving header goes wide
Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Martin Caceres accidently kicks the mouth of Demy De Zeeuw
Oooh that's gotta hurt. Holland clear the ball from a Uruguay corner and the ball is hanging in the air above the edge of the box when Martin Caceres goes for a spectacular overhead kick, but unfortunately his left boot connects with the mouth of Demy De Zeeuw rather than the ball
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/FIFA via Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Wesley Sneijder gets booked for shoving Martin Caceres
The Dutch are incensed, which leads to a bit of huffing and puffing as well as bit pushing and shoving. Wesley Sneijder ends up with a yellow card for his part in the handbags and Martin Caceres gets one for dangerous play
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/FIFA via Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Arjen Robben and Martin Caceres chase the ball
Arjen Robben and Martin Caceres chase the ball ...
Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Uruguay's defender Martin Caceres and Holland striker Arjen Robben
... now they try some synchronised kicking
Photograph: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Diego Forlan equalises for Uruguay
Since Holland scored, Uruguay have been slowly getting back into the game. Four minutes before half time they equalise with another stupendous effort by Diego Forlan. He receives the ball 35 yards out, cuts inside and then lets rip with a screamer ...
Photograph: Lars Baron/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Netherlands' goalkeeper Maarten Stekelen fails to stop Forlan's shot
... which goes straight down the middle of the goal towards Stekelenburg, but he misjudges the flight of the ball and takes a step to the right, which is his undoing. The goalkeeper gets a hand to the ball, but the power of the shot means that he can't stop it from flying into the back of the net
Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Diego Forlan celebrates his goal
That's Forlan's fourth goal of the tournament and it's his third from outside of the box
Photograph: Roberto Candia/AP
Holland versus Uruguay: Mark Van Bommel shields the ball from Walter Gargano
Mark Van Bommel takes time out from fouling Uruguayans to shield the ball from Walter Gargano
Photograph: Mike Hewitt /FIFA via Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: UrHolland  defender Joris Mathijsen and Uruguay's Sebastian Abreu
This synchronised business is contagious. Holland's Joris Mathijsen and Uruguay's Sebastian Abreu have a go at some pointing
Photograph: Oliver Weiken/EPA
Holland versus Uruguay: Sneijder scores Holland's second goal
Another game, another controversial goal. This time though it's Uruguay on the receiving end. Sneijder shoots from the edge of the area and it clips a defender before going through the legs of Robin Van Persie, who is offside by a matter of inches. The Uruguayans also claim he is interfering with play, but the referee ignores their pleas and gives the goal
Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Arjen Robben scores to make it 3-1
Four minutes later, Holland score again. There's no doubting the legitimacy of this goal as Dirk Kuyt clips in a great cross towards the edge of the six yard box where Arjen Robben leaps ...
Photograph: Roberto Candia/AP
Holland versus Uruguay: Arjen Robben scores with a header to make it 3-1
... and puts a powerful header back across the goal giving Fernando Muslera no chance
Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Arjen Robben celebrates his goal
That's 3-1 and Holland know they have one foot in the final
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/FIFA via Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Maximiliano Pereira makes it 3-2
The Dutch fans are whistling for time, willing the referee to put his whistle to his lips, when Maximiliano Pereira increases the volume of this whistling tenfold by rifling a shot into the Dutch net at the start of three minutes of injury time. It's going to be a long three minutes for the Dutch fans Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay:  Mauricio Victorino thinks what might have been as he walks down the tunnel
Despite some frantic attacking from Uruguay which causes some frantic defending from Holland, the South American side can't find the net again and lose the match 3-2. A dejected Mauricio Victorino thinks what might have been as he walks down the tunnel
Photograph: Ryan Pierse/FIFA via Getty Images
Holland versus Uruguay: Mark Van Bommel and Dirk Kuyt celebrate at full time
Van Bommel and Kuyt celebrate at full time. Though considering the amount of cynical fouls he committed, Van Bommel can think himself lucky he was still on the pitch at the end. It was hardly a classic performance by the Dutch, but it was functional and got the job done. They will definitely have to step up a gear if they want to beat either Germany or Spain when they meet the winner of that match in Sunday's final.
Click here to look at all our galleries from the World Cup
Photograph: Scott Heavey/Action Images
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