Uruguay vs Netherlands: World Cup semi-final preview

Uruguay vs Netherlands: World Cup semi-final preview

You don't get many bigger games in your career and for many playing tomorrow this will be biggest. They will all know this and they will all be prepared and they will all, you would like to think, give 100% and when you have eleven players giving 100% you can achieve anything.

The prize at stake for these players is massive and with this amount of pressure you don't usually see the best games. Players are more concerned with not giving the ball away and not making the mistake that costs a goal, but we are hoping for something different tomorrow.

Match Details

• Venue: Cape Town
• Date: Tuesday, 6 July 2010
• Kick-off: 8.30pm

Uruguay

The last South American team at the World Cup and all this after so many football pundits claiming that the European teams were not good enough. I guess it just goes to show that it isn't how you start a tournament it is how you end it and I'm afraid, I think this is where the tournament might end for Uruguay.

Uruguay have a chance but their performances against Ghana and South Korea in the knock-out stages were not convincing. However, our default position in the first paragraph stands - if they give 100% and just one player from the Dutch doesn't - they can win.

Full Time Result

	Best Odds	Bookie
Uruguay	6/1
Draw	11/4
Holland	4/6

Netherlands

The Dutch on the other hand have looked good from game one to when they dumped Brazil out of the tournament with a performance that warranted victory. This team are expected to make the final.

I expected breakfast in bed this morning however and I didn't get it and Brazil were expected to win. The Dutch have looked good but that doesn't mean they will tomorrow. But, they should.

Opposition View

Dutch coach, Bert Van Marwijk
It will be a very dangerous match. I warned about this on the first day - there's always the next game. The euphoria at home is massive at the moment and maybe it's good that we're so far away and can't witness it because we really need to focus on Uruguay and that won't be easy. They didn't reach the semi-final for nothing, so we have to really focus again and not think that we're already there.

Uruguay striker, Edinson Cavani
I believe that right now we mustn't think about the past, but look to the future. Things have changed since then. I think that this game against Holland will be more balanced. We can win it. Holland's strength is their attack. Robben is having a great World Cup. But we have Forlan who is an extraordinary champion.

Prediction

Our head and heart tells us that this game is going the way of the Dutch and judging by our question of the day to the right - that is what most think also.

We are not putting the mortgage on it - but a fair chunk of our winnings to date are going on it. We think it will be a tight game but we ultimately think a comfortable win at the end of day.

Next World Cup 2010 Matches

World Cup Match » Full Time Result
19:30	Uruguay	6/1		Draw	11/4		Holland	4/6
World Cup Match » Full Time Result
19:30	Germany	49/25		Draw	47/20		Spain	13/8