On June 29, in the city of Fortaleza, the third match of the 1/8 finals of the football world Cup in Brazil took place. The national teams of the Netherlands and Mexico met.
The fight between the Netherlands and Mexico gave the fans different emotions. It can be considered that the game between rivals was one of the most dramatic matches of the football world championship.
The meeting started at good speeds. Moreover, the Mexicans outplayed their rival. It should be said that the representatives of the CONCACAF zone looked better in almost all major aspects of football. The Dutch used, as a rule, long passes to the front line, which did not lead to anything.
The first half turned out to be stingy with dangerous scoring chances, although it was held under the sign of Mexican domination.
The second half of the meeting began with the Mexicans ahead. Compared to the first half of the meeting, the only difference is that the audience witnessed the goals scored. Already at the very beginning of the second half, at the 48th minute, the Mexicans did what looked not like a sensation, but a pattern. Giovani dos Santos kicked from outside the penalty area and sent the ball into the net of the Dutch goal. Mexico took 1 - 0. It was well deserved. The Dutch players no longer showed that sparkling goal football that Dutch fans could observe in the group matches. Already in the first match of the playoff stage, Van Gaal's team was opposed by a very organized team.
Mexico gave up the initiative to the Europeans after scoring a goal. The Dutch had two amazing scoring chances, but the Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa was incomparable. The meeting was already drawing to a close. There are just over five minutes left to play, including the condensed time. However, Mexico was unable to maintain the advantage. The Dutch onslaught nevertheless brought results.
On the 88th minute, after a corner kick, the ball bounced to Sneijder, who struck a powerful blow right into the corner of the Mexicans' goal. In the last minutes the Europeans equalize the score - 1 -1.
The denouement came within a few minutes - at the 94th minute of the meeting, the referee appointed a penalty to the Mexicans. Claes-Jan Huntelaer approached the ball and scored the winning goal.
The Netherlands did not win, they forced it out in the last minutes of the meeting. Now the Dutch are waiting for their rival in the quarterfinals, which will be the winner of the Costa Rica - Greece pair. The Mexicans are very sorry. It was a wonderful team, which was a pleasure to watch. Representatives of Central America have accompanied the Chileans - these teams are heading home.
