Rosenborg91

Jul 4 2010, 03:59 PM

Only four games left And then there's four long years left to the next World Cup....

I predict Netherlands and Spain for the final.

BBC Sport

 

Uruguay will definitely be without suspended duo Luis Suarez and Jorge Fucile. Suarez was sent off for handling Dominic Adiyiah's goal-bound header in the quarter-final win over Ghana, while Fucile earned his second yellow card of the tournament in that match. Creative midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro has been ruled out of the tournament with a broken foot, while captain Diego Lugano is struggling with a knee injury.

Netherlands striker Robin van Persie has been cleared to face Uruguay following a hospital scan on an elbow injury. Defender Joris Mathijsen will also return from a knee injury. Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong are suspended.

MATCH PREVIEW

The winners of the first-ever World Cup take on the nation many believe to be the best never to have won football's biggest prize, in an intriguing semi-final clash in Cape Town.

So often dismissed as football's biggest chokers, the Netherlands' dream of a first world title is within their grasp. This may not be the most spectacular Dutch side in recent memory, but it is the most effective. Friday's quarter-final victory over Brazil saw Bert van Marwijk's side extend their record unbeaten run to 24 matches. They have won all five of their games in South Africa, beating their previous best run of four consecutive wins at the 1974 finals.

That was the year the Dutch introduced Total Football to the world stage, opening the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay in West Germany. The Netherlands cruised to the final, only to stumble at the final hurdle against the hosts. Four years later it was a similar story as Argentina denied them again. The Dutch were the first European settlers in South Africa - will they be the first team to book their place in the 2010 World Cup final?

The glory years of Uruguayan football were a fast-fading memory before Oscar Tabarez's side arrived in South Africa. Winners in 1930 and 1950, La Celeste's last semi-final was 40 years ago and they have only appeared in two of the last five World Cups. But under Tabarez, who also steered them to the last 16 in 1990 in his first stint as coach, Uruguay have been rejuvenated.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

- The Dutch beat the Uruguayans 2-0 in their opening game at the 1974 World Cup. Johnny Rep scored both goals, while Uruguay had Juan Montero Castillo sent off. Diego Forlan's father, Pablo, played in the match.

- The only other meeting since then was a friendly in Montevideo in 1980 that the home side won 2-0.

- Uruguay also beat the Dutch on the way to winning Olympic gold in 1924 and 1928.

Uruguay

- Uruguay are in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1970, when they lost 3-1 to Brazil.

- They have conceded only two goals in five games in South Africa.

- Uruguay are unbeaten in their last seven World Cup games, including their last two group matches in 2002 (which were both drawn).

- They won the tournament in 1930 and 1950, though the second of their triumphs did not come in an orthodox "final". Instead they competed in a four-team group stage, overtaking Brazil with victory against their South American rivals in the final game.

Netherlands

- The Netherlands have won five consecutive World Cup matches for the first time. This beats their previous best run of four in 1974, when they reached the final.

- Van Marwijk's side are on a 24-match unbeaten run, a record for the Dutch. Their last defeat was in September 2008 (a 2-1 loss to Australia in Eindhoven).

- They have won each of their last three matches 2-1.

- Wesley Sneijder has scored six goals in his last seven internationals.