JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – The Netherlands clinically ended Slovakia’s giantkilling run at the World Cup yesterday while Brazil finally turned on the style to crush Chile and set up an enticing clash with the Dutch in the quarter-finals.
The Netherlands joined fellow Europeans Germany in the last eight with a 2-1 win over the Slovaks before Brazil switched on the Samba turbo power their fans had been waiting for to beat Chile 3-0, despite a spirited fight by the Latin American underdogs.
Brazil, accused of being insipid up to now, spiced up their game to stand comparison with their great rivals and fellow quarter-finalists Argentina.
Fine goals from Juan and Luis Fabiano in the first half and Robinho after the break continued the torment of Chile at the hands of the five-times champions, who have now beaten them eight matches in a row. The Dutch were dominant throughout and tiny Slovakia rarely came close to repeating their shock elimination of holders Italy last week, although Robert Vittek scored a consolation penalty just before the whistle.
Arjen Robben, making his first start, picked up a superb long ball from Wesley Sneijder and slammed in a left-footed shot in the 18th minute. Sneijder doubled the score six minutes from the end at the match in Durban.
Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss said Robben was “an absolute genius” although there remains a suspicion his skill raises the quality of a fairly ordinary Dutch side. They will face a much sterner test against the Brazilians on this form in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
SAMBA POWER
The Samba Boys looked brilliant in attack and solid in defence to almost mirror the panache that swept Diego Maradona’s Argentina into the quarters with a 3-1 defeat of a tough Mexican side on Sunday.
There are now three Latin American sides in the last eight including Uruguay.
While Netherlands went through comfortably after maintaining their perfect record, England wallowed in shame after a humiliating 4-1 defeat on Sunday by Germany, which resulted in a torrent of British press abuse.
Their shaken Italian manager Fabio Capello said he wanted to stay in the job, despite England’s worst defeat at a World Cup, but told reporters his future would be decided after two weeks reflection by the Football Association.
Seasoned observers said England’s showing was one of the worst seen by the country in a World Cup.
The humiliation of another European soccer power, France, claimed the head of the president of their federation yesterday when Jean-Pierre Escalettes resigned.
France, runners-up in 2006, went out bottom of their group following a chaotic players’ revolt. French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot said last week Escalettes should quit although FIFA had warned against political meddling.
Argentina’s defeat of Mexico set up a quarter-final clash with Germany.
REFEREEING BLUNDER
The Germans’ quashing of the over-ambition that seems to accompany England to every international tournament unleashed a wave of criticism in the British press both of the failing Premier League millionaires and Capello, considered the team’s saviour until the miserable World Cup showing.
Commentators agreed that a refereeing error that disallowed a clear first half goal from Frank Lampard was no excuse.
“You let your country down,” the mass circulation Sun said on its front page.
The refereeing blunder over Lampard’s disallowed goal and a clear offside in Carlos Tevez’s first goal for Argentina revived heated debate over FIFA’s stubborn refusal to use the technology adopted by almost all international sports to help decide on vital close calls.
To add insult to England’s injury, four men and a woman were sentenced to three years in jail by a special World Cup court for stealing money and other items from some of the players’ hotel rooms.
