World Cup - Brazil humiliated again as Dutch take third

            

Brazil's goalkeeper Julio Cesar, David Luiz, Hernanes and Fernandinho (L-R) react after the Netherlands scored their third goal during their 2014 World Cup third-place playoff at the Brasilia (Reuters)

The Netherlands clinched third place at the World Cup with an easy 3-0 victory over a forlorn Brazil.

It took just three minutes for the game to turn catastrophic for the hosts, when Thiago Silva pulled down Arjen Robben on the edge of the box. Silva was possibly unlucky to concede a penalty, but certainly lucky not to be sent off. Robin van Persie converted efficiently.

The second came when a Netherlands cross was poorly cleared, allowing Daley Blind to volley unmarked to double the lead.

The crowd then heavily booed the Brazilians off at half-time, having only given them a rousing performance of the national anthem 45 minutes earlier.

In the second half, both teams had penalty appeals, but struggled to create any great chances. The crowd intermittently booed the home side as they showed their displeasure after their capitulation against Germany. They only intensified when Georginio Wijnaldum grabbed a third in injury time.

With the third game over, Louis van Gaal will soon be at Manchester United in his new job. With Felipe Luiz Scolari soon to meet the Brazilian FA to decide his future, he may soon need to find work elsewhere.

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KEY EVENTS
2’  - PENALTY - Robben is tugged back by Silva on the cusp of the box and takes a tumble. The referee points to the spot and only books Silva when it should have been red.
3’ - VAN PERSIE SCORES - A short, confident run-up and Van Persie lifts the ball over the keeper’s dive to his left.
21’ - OSCAR SHOT - From outside the box, Oscar skims a low shot into the arms of Jasper Cillessen who saves easily.
41’ - VAN PERSIE VOLLEY - Van Persie has some space on the edge of the box and sends a low volley towards goal that Julio Cesar is able to stop.
60’ - RAMIRES SHOT - Ramires shimmies past Vlaar on the edge of the box with a neat dummy, but drags a low shot wide of goal.
66’ - PENALTY APPEAL - Vlaar blocks a cross between his chest and arm, but the referee waves away the appeals.
68’ - PENALTY APPEAL II - Blind obviously trips Oscar in the box, who takes a theatrical early tumble nonetheless. Oscar is rightly booked for the simulation, and Blind is wrongly allowed to get away with what is still a foul.
90+1’ - WIJNALDUM SCORES - Robben sets Daryl Janmaat free down the right wing, who expertly cuts the ball back for Wijnaldum. The midfielder is unmarked and squeezes in a shot at the near post.              

Watch in 3D the perfect penalty that put the Netherlands 1-0 up against Brazil.This is the first time since 1940 that Brazil have lost consecutive matches on home soil (in 1940 they lost 0-3 v Argentina and 3-4 v Uruguay).  Brazil conceded their 100th, 101st and 102nd goals in World Cup history.Nine of the 14 goals Brazil have conceded in this World Cup have come in the first 30 minutes of their games.Robin van Persie’s goal was his first World Cup strike not to come in the group stages.  The Netherlands have scored with all 10 of their penalties (in normal time) in World Cup history  .Daley Blind (one goal, three assists) has been involved in four goals in this World Cup, more than any other defender in Brazil 2014.Brazil have failed to score in two games in a World Cup tournament for the first time since 1978, when they also failed to find the net in two games.Oscar’s yellow card was the first for simulation awarded in this World Cup  .David Luiz is the only outfield Brazilian player to player every minute of his team’s 2014 World Cup campaign.This is only the second time in the last 10 World Cup 3rd Place play-offs that a team has failed to score (Bulgaria lost 4-0 v Sweden in 1994).  Belgium in 1986 (15 goals conceded) were the last team to concede 14 or more goals in a World Cup finals before Brazil this year (14).Jasper Cillesen is the first goalkeeper to be subbed off two times in World history. The Netherlands scored three goals from four shots on target in this match. Over this game and the semi-final, Brazil conceded 10 goals from 14 shots on target conceded.