They were almost preparing the manager’s office at Manchester United for Louis van Gaal.
With Holland wilting in the stifling heat of north-east Brazil on Sunday afternoon, it appeared as though Van Gaal’s journey through this World Cup was about to be derailed.
Only three minutes of normal time remained here and the Dutch were still behind.
It looked as though Giovanni Dos Santo’s early second half stunner was going to enough to see off a Holland team that didn’t start to play until they fell behind.
But after heroic Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa had repelled all of Holland’s best attempts to equalise – including a stunning save from Stefan de Vrij - the 2010 finalists struck twice at the death to leave the central Americans on their knees.
First Wesley Sneijder – so ineffectual all afternoon – drove the equaliser in from the edge of the penalty area after an 87th minute corner had been headed down to him.
Then – early in the six minutes of time added for a FIFA water break - Arjen Robben went to ground under a challenge in the area. In truth it looked like a dive and if it was then it wasn’t his first of the game.
But Robben had been denied a clear spot-kick late in a first half that Mexico had dominated and he may feel he was owed something.
Whatever the case, substitute Klaas Jan Huntelaar – on for a disappointing Robin van Persie – waited patiently for the penalty and when he drove the ball low to Ochoa’s right an incredibly dramatic comeback was complete.
With the temperatures hovering around the 30 degree mark by 9.30am local time, it must have been closer to 40 by kick-off.
A taste, perhaps of what Qatar will be like if the World Cup does indeed take place there in 2022.
Van Gaal had asked for a drinks time out to be factored in to the game and that was agreed to by FIFA. In the stands of the Estadio Castelao, however, the sun was just too strong for many supporters, forced to stand in shade at the back of the seating areas.
On the pitch, Holland lined up as defensively as everybody expected and it was clearly going to be up to Mexico to break them down.
In many ways, the Dutch were very ordinary indeed. Fielding a back five, when Mexico had the ball holding players Nigel de Jong and Georginio Wijnaldum dropped back in to the line, effectively meaning that the central Americans were facing a defensive line of seven players whenever they advanced.
It didn’t make for an open first half. Robben and Robin van Persie were so isolated for the Dutch that most of their counters broke down. As for Mexico, they found it difficult to pierce the Holland rearguard clinically enough and when their half chances came they couldn’t take them.
A couple of shots from distance from the impressive Miguel Layan served as a marker early on before the Mexican wing-back eased past Paul Verhaegh on the Dutch left and delivered a ball across goal that nobody could apply a touch to.
Soon after, though, Mexico spurned their best chance of the first period. A cross to the far post found the Dutch all at sea and when the ball was nodded back across goal it seemed as though Hector Herrara only had to shoot first time to score.
With Holland wilting in the stifling heat of north-east Brazil on Sunday afternoon, it appeared as though Van Gaal’s journey through this World Cup was about to be derailed.
Only three minutes of normal time remained here and the Dutch were still behind.
It looked as though Giovanni Dos Santo’s early second half stunner was going to enough to see off a Holland team that didn’t start to play until they fell behind.
But after heroic Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa had repelled all of Holland’s best attempts to equalise – including a stunning save from Stefan de Vrij - the 2010 finalists struck twice at the death to leave the central Americans on their knees.
First Wesley Sneijder – so ineffectual all afternoon – drove the equaliser in from the edge of the penalty area after an 87th minute corner had been headed down to him.
Then – early in the six minutes of time added for a FIFA water break - Arjen Robben went to ground under a challenge in the area. In truth it looked like a dive and if it was then it wasn’t his first of the game.
But Robben had been denied a clear spot-kick late in a first half that Mexico had dominated and he may feel he was owed something.
Whatever the case, substitute Klaas Jan Huntelaar – on for a disappointing Robin van Persie – waited patiently for the penalty and when he drove the ball low to Ochoa’s right an incredibly dramatic comeback was complete.
With the temperatures hovering around the 30 degree mark by 9.30am local time, it must have been closer to 40 by kick-off.
A taste, perhaps of what Qatar will be like if the World Cup does indeed take place there in 2022.
Van Gaal had asked for a drinks time out to be factored in to the game and that was agreed to by FIFA. In the stands of the Estadio Castelao, however, the sun was just too strong for many supporters, forced to stand in shade at the back of the seating areas.
On the pitch, Holland lined up as defensively as everybody expected and it was clearly going to be up to Mexico to break them down.
In many ways, the Dutch were very ordinary indeed. Fielding a back five, when Mexico had the ball holding players Nigel de Jong and Georginio Wijnaldum dropped back in to the line, effectively meaning that the central Americans were facing a defensive line of seven players whenever they advanced.
It didn’t make for an open first half. Robben and Robin van Persie were so isolated for the Dutch that most of their counters broke down. As for Mexico, they found it difficult to pierce the Holland rearguard clinically enough and when their half chances came they couldn’t take them.
A couple of shots from distance from the impressive Miguel Layan served as a marker early on before the Mexican wing-back eased past Paul Verhaegh on the Dutch left and delivered a ball across goal that nobody could apply a touch to.
Soon after, though, Mexico spurned their best chance of the first period. A cross to the far post found the Dutch all at sea and when the ball was nodded back across goal it seemed as though Hector Herrara only had to shoot first time to score.
posted from Bloggeroid
