Dutch eye World Cup final, Brazil, Argentina face change

Netherlands were warned to shrug off their Achilles heel of arrogance when they face Uruguay in the World Cup semi-finals as Argentina and Brazil continued to be rocked by the shockwaves of elimination.

Dutch duo Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben come face to face with Uruguayan star striker Diego Forlan in Tuesday’s first semi-final, while goal kings David Villa of Spain and Miroslav Klose of Germany square off on Wednesday.

Holland have not always produced their trademark flowing football in South Africa, but coach Bert van Marwijk has insisted his team show no sign of the arrogance they may have displayed in the past.

“I can’t change a culture, but I have worked hard to create an environment to make the players realise that if you want to achieve something in a tournament, you need to focus solely on the next match and not think ahead,” said van Marwijk, whose side face a depleted Uruguay in Cape Town on Tuesday.

“When we do well, we tend to get a bit arrogant, but the players have really understood that and it has been the basis of our preparation against Uruguay.”

Uruguay are handicapped by the loss of striker Luis Suarez, banned after his red card for a deliberate goal-line handball that prevented Ghana becoming the first ever semi-finalists from Africa.

Defender Jorge Fucile is also suspended and captain and defender Diego Lugano and midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro are injury doubts.

Netherlands right-back Gregory van der Wiel and holding midfielder Nigel de Jong miss out after picking up second yellow cards in the 2-1 triumph over Brazil in the quarter-finals.

“We will go out there with enormous faith and do everything it takes as we have in our prior matches. It is fair to say that we have modest hope that we can win, but it is possible,” said coach Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez.

Wednesday will see three-time winners Germany tackle European champions Spain in Durban with German legend Franz Beckenbauer hailing his 2010 compatriots a “perfect team”.

“This team, it is the masterpiece of Joachim Loew. He has placed his mark on its make-up and created a perfect team,” said Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as a player and a coach.

Germany were boosted on Monday when midfielder Sami Khedira was passed to play after suffering a thigh injury in the 4-0 quarter-final demolition of Argentina.

Spain also received good news on the injury front with Cesc Fabregas and Carles Puyol both passed fit.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona hinted he may resign as he returned home following his side’s exit.

“That’s it, my cycle has finished,” said Maradona. “I gave all I had.”

Luis Segura, president of Maradona’s formative club Argentinos Juniors and a close friend of Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Julio Grondona, said that it was up to Maradona to decide on his future.

“It depends on him. But Grondona has never interrupted a (national coach’s) contract and if Diego decides to continue, he’ll continue,” said Segura.

In Brazil, Luiz Felipe Scolari reportedly heads a five-man shortlist to replace outgoing coach Dunga that also includes Mano Menezes of Corinthians, Fluminense’s Muricy Ramalho, Ricardo Gomes of Sao Paulo and former AC Milan coach and 1994 World Cup winner Leonardo.

Scolari won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and despite his insistence he will see out his contract with Palmeiras, he remains the favourite to replace Dunga, who was sacked after Brazil’s quarter-final loss to Holland.

The Nigerian government said on Monday that a two-year ban on their national team after a dismal World Cup had been lifted.

The country’s President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the ban last week as anger engulfed the huge west African nation after the Super Eagles managed one point from three matches in one of the easier first-round groups.

World football rulers FIFA reacted by telling Nigeria to lift the ban by 1600GMT Monday or the Nigerian football federation would be suspended, effectively cutting the country off from all international and continental competition.