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How Argentina went with the Netherlands: a final won and the famous “today you become a hero” from Mascherano to Romero

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If there’s one rival Argentina has an unfavorable record against, it’s the Netherlands, or Holland, as all football fans still call them. Next Friday, for the quarter-finals, will be the tenth match in history and Albiceleste won only once, that unforgettable final in 1978 in which they won their first World Cup. Furthermore, it will be the fifth clash in a World Cup, with two Argentinian and two Dutch celebrating.

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The short story began in 1974 when A Clockwork Orange was at its peak. Miguel Angel Brindisi has more than once admitted that only twice has he heard a rival dance him on the field. And it was in the first confrontation, in Amsterdam on May 26, a few days before the start of the World Cup in Germany. The Netherlands won 4-1.

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Exactly one month later, on June 26, they met at the semi-final stage of the championship. Previous experience was useless. Once again, Johan Cruyff’s team won by four goals to nil. Then it came to the final, which began by winning 1-0 after two minutes due to a penalty generated by pure touch and without any German player being able to touch the ball. Subsequently, Germany turned the tables, winning 2-1 to become champions.

That Dutch team went down in history and four years later, without Cruyff, who gave up playing in the ’78 World Cup so as not to leave his family for a long time after the kidnapping he had suffered with his wife and three children a year earlier in Barcelona . , reached the final again. Against Argentina. In regular time, they drew 1-1, with goals from Mario Alberto Kempes and Dick Nanninga with 8 minutes remaining. In extra time, with goals from Matador and Daniel Bertoni, Argentina cries champion.

A year later, they relived the World Cup final in Bern, Switzerland for FIFA’s 75th anniversary. It was May 22 and, now with Diego Maradona on the field, they drew 0-0. Since there was a cup up for grabs, it went to penalties. And Argentina prevailed 8 to 7. Diego made his save and Pato Ubaldo Fillol saved two.

The fifth duel in history was the third in the world. With little memory for Argentina of how the match was defined. It was at France 98, in Marseille, for the quarter-finals, like now. The Netherlands opened the scoring after 12 minutes through Patrick Kluivert and ‘Piojo’ Claudio López equalized five minutes later.

The Oranges were left with one down following Numan’s dismissal but, with three minutes remaining, Burrito Ortega was also shown the red card for heading rival goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar after a play in which he had claimed a penalty. After the cartoon and with a minute to go, Dennis Bergkamp dropped a ball with quality and defined much better.

After that, there were two more friendlies. On March 31, 1999 in Amsterdam, in one of the first matches of the Marcelo Bielsa era, they drew 1-1. It was the day El Loco introduced Andrés Guglielminpietro in the second half and then eliminated him in the 35th minute. Three minutes later, Gabriel Batistuta equalised. The other, on 12 February 2003, again in Amsterdam and with Bielsa on the bench, Argentina lost 1-0.

The last two clashes have been in the World Cup and both ended 0-0. The first, in Germany 2006, was the third match of the group stage, both were already classified and both had the majority of substitutes. The second, in Brazil 2014, was a very tough semi-final, very tight and without a goal after 120 minutes.

“Today you become a hero,” Javier Mascherano told Sergio Romero before the penalty shoot-out. And Chiquito was a hero: he saved two penalties, Argentina won 4-2 and qualified for the final, which they lost 1-0 against Germany.

Showdown number 10 is coming. Only 10. We choose to believe.

the nine parts

  • 1974, Amsterdam, friendly, Argentina 1 (Enrique Wolff) – Netherlands 4 (Johan Neeskens, Robert Resenbrink, Pleum Strik and Adrianus Haan).
  • 1974, Gelsenkirchen, World Cup, Argentina 0 – Netherlands 4 (Johan Cruyff 2, Josef Krol & Johny Rep)
  • 1978, Buenos Aires, World Cup. Argentina 3 (Mario Kempes 2 and Daniel Bertoni) – Netherlands 1 (Dirk Nanninga). In extra time.
  • 1979. Bern. FIFA anniversary. Argentina 0 (8) – Netherlands 0 (7)
  • 1998. Marseille, World Cup. Argentina 1 (Claudio López) – Netherlands 2 (Patrick Kluivert and Denis Bergkamp)
  • 1999, Amsterdam. friendly. Argentina 1 (Gabriel Batistuta) – Netherlands 1 (Edgard Davis)
  • 2003, Amsterdam, friendly. Argentina 0 – Netherlands 1 (Giovanni Von Bronckhorst)
  • 2006. Frankfurt, friendly, Argentina 0 – Netherlands 0.
  • 2014, Sao Paulo, World Cup, Argentina 0 (4) – Netherlands (2)

Source: Clarin

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