By Gideon Long
FORTALEZA Brazil Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:07pm EDT
Netherlands' national soccer player Wesley Sneijder kicks the ball during a training session in Rio de Janeiro June 30, 2014, after their 2014 World Cup round of 16 match win against Mexico.
Credit: Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> FORTALEZA Brazil (Reuters) - They were minutes away from elimination against Mexico but having pulled off one of the great escapes of the World Cup, the Dutch are in a strong position to reach the semifinals.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>With two minutes to play against the Mexicans in Sunday's second-round clash, Louis van Gaal's side were 1-0 down and heading for the exit.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>But midfielder Wesley Sneijder pulled them level before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar crashed home their winner from the penalty spot in the 94th minute.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"Orange Miracle" ran the headline in the online edition of leading Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. "The Dutch team stood on the brink of the abyss."
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Several papers analyzed the controversial Dutch penalty that gave them their winner after Arjen Robben went down in the box under a challenge from Mexican captain Rafael Marquez.
<span id="midArticle_5"/>Marquez clearly stepped on Robben's toe as the Dutchman tried to wriggle past him but, not for the first time in the match or his career, Robben made the most of the incident by going down in dramatic style.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>Robben later insisted it was a penalty although admitted to diving earlier in the match, describing his own behavior on that occasion as "stupid".
<span id="midArticle_7"/>The Dutch now face Costa Rica on Saturday in Salvador, scene of their 5-1 demolition of defending champions Spain in their opening match of the tournament.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>And although they will be wary of the Central Americans, they will be overwhelming favorites to beat them.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>Costa Rica, one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far, had defender Oscar Duarte sent off and he will be suspended for the quarter-final. They will also probably be without fellow defender Roy Miller, who has a hamstring injury.
<span id="midArticle_10"/>Their gruelling defeat of Greece in a penalty shootout on Sunday may also take its toll. They played for nearly an hour with 10 men and over the full match covered a remarkable 131 kilometers (80 miles) of ground between them.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>Van Gaal's main injury worry is to key midfielder Nigel de Jong, who had to be substituted after just nine minutes against the Mexicans.
<span id="midArticle_12"/>"It's a groin injury," Van Gaal said. "He is one of the most important elements in the team, so that was a big drawback, a big setback for us."
<span id="midArticle_13"/>On the plus side, defender Bruno Martins Indi made a successful return for the Dutch having missed their previous match with concussion.
<span id="midArticle_14"/>Robin van Persie had an unusually quiet match against the Mexicans and was substituted late on, but Van Gaal confirmed the striker was not injured.
<span id="midArticle_15"/>"I took him off for tactical reasons," he said.
<span id="midArticle_0"/><span id="midArticle_1"/>(Reporting By Gideon; editing by William Schomberg)
<span id="midArticle_2"/>
FORTALEZA Brazil Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:07pm EDT
Credit: Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> FORTALEZA Brazil (Reuters) - They were minutes away from elimination against Mexico but having pulled off one of the great escapes of the World Cup, the Dutch are in a strong position to reach the semifinals.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>With two minutes to play against the Mexicans in Sunday's second-round clash, Louis van Gaal's side were 1-0 down and heading for the exit.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>But midfielder Wesley Sneijder pulled them level before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar crashed home their winner from the penalty spot in the 94th minute.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"Orange Miracle" ran the headline in the online edition of leading Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. "The Dutch team stood on the brink of the abyss."
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Several papers analyzed the controversial Dutch penalty that gave them their winner after Arjen Robben went down in the box under a challenge from Mexican captain Rafael Marquez.
<span id="midArticle_5"/>Marquez clearly stepped on Robben's toe as the Dutchman tried to wriggle past him but, not for the first time in the match or his career, Robben made the most of the incident by going down in dramatic style.
<span id="midArticle_6"/>Robben later insisted it was a penalty although admitted to diving earlier in the match, describing his own behavior on that occasion as "stupid".
<span id="midArticle_7"/>The Dutch now face Costa Rica on Saturday in Salvador, scene of their 5-1 demolition of defending champions Spain in their opening match of the tournament.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>And although they will be wary of the Central Americans, they will be overwhelming favorites to beat them.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>Costa Rica, one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far, had defender Oscar Duarte sent off and he will be suspended for the quarter-final. They will also probably be without fellow defender Roy Miller, who has a hamstring injury.
<span id="midArticle_10"/>Their gruelling defeat of Greece in a penalty shootout on Sunday may also take its toll. They played for nearly an hour with 10 men and over the full match covered a remarkable 131 kilometers (80 miles) of ground between them.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>Van Gaal's main injury worry is to key midfielder Nigel de Jong, who had to be substituted after just nine minutes against the Mexicans.
<span id="midArticle_12"/>"It's a groin injury," Van Gaal said. "He is one of the most important elements in the team, so that was a big drawback, a big setback for us."
<span id="midArticle_13"/>On the plus side, defender Bruno Martins Indi made a successful return for the Dutch having missed their previous match with concussion.
<span id="midArticle_14"/>Robin van Persie had an unusually quiet match against the Mexicans and was substituted late on, but Van Gaal confirmed the striker was not injured.
<span id="midArticle_15"/>"I took him off for tactical reasons," he said.
<span id="midArticle_0"/><span id="midArticle_1"/>(Reporting By Gideon; editing by William Schomberg)
<span id="midArticle_2"/>
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