Argentina will face Germany in the World Cup Final after beating the Netherlands 4-2 on penalties.
The World Cup semi-final in Sao Paulo was a repeat of the 1978 Final, when the Total Football team fell 3-1 in extra time. The winners will face Germany on Sunday after a 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil.
Argentina will face Germany in the World Cup Final after beating the Netherlands 4-2 on penalties.
The World Cup semi-final in Sao Paulo was a repeat of the 1978 Final, when the Total Football team fell 3-1 in extra time. The winners will face Germany on Sunday after a 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil.
Nigel De Jong had been ruled out of the tournament with a groin strain, but the Milan midfielder made a “miraculous” recovery to start man-marking Leo Messi and Robin Van Persie played despite a stomach complaint. Jasper Cillessen remained in goal despite being substituted for the penalty shoot-out against Costa Rica by Tim Krul. Argentina lost Angel Di Maria, but Marcos Rojo returned from suspension and Lazio’s Lucas Biglia was preferred to Fernando Gago. Sergio Aguero was still not fit enough to start.
There was a moment’s silence for Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano and Argentina wore black armbands.
Cillessen was firmly behind a Messi free kick that pierced the wall and Argentina threatened again from a set play, Ezequiel Garay’s diving header just over from six yards on a corner. Van Persie was twice stopped by the offside flag, while in first half stoppages there was a promising move, but Rojo misplaced the cross for Higuain.
Vlaar perfectly timed his tackle to stop Messi dancing into the box, then Daryl Janmaat crucially intercepted a Pocho Lavezzi cross for Higuain. Pipita came sliding in to hit the side-netting from five yards on a wonderful Enzo Perez cross, though the flag was up too. Inter striker Rodrigo Palacio was introduced along with Aguero, making his comeback after two weeks out with injury.
Rojo fired straight at Cillessen in perhaps the only real save either ‘keeper had to make from open play in the 90 minutes.
Holland thought they had won it at the death when Robben burst into the box with a cheeky Sneijder back-heel and pulled the trigger from six yards, but Mascherano bravely flung himself in front to block the shot.
Van Persie was still clearly not at his best after that stomach virus, so made way for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in extra time. This meant there could be no Krul penalty heroics, as it was Holland’s final substitution.
Sergio Romero smothered a sudden Robben snapshot from distance – the first from open play he had to deal with after 98 minutes – and Palacio curled a wonderful ball in from the right, but it was just beyond the unfit Aguero.
Palacio couldn’t get enough power to his header on an awkward Maxi Rodriguez ball, so it went tamely into Cillessen’s hands. Messi crossed from the by-line only for Maxi Rodriguez to mis-kick the volley.
The two teams could not be divided and it went to a penalty shoot-out for a place in the World Cup Final against Germany. No room for Krul this time and Cillessen went in knowing he had never saved a spot-kick in his entire professional career.
Vlaar was up first and saw his very central attempt saved by Sampdoria goalkeeper Sergio Romero, so Messi gave Argentina an immediate lead.
Robben and Garay converted, but Romero flew to palm away a Sneijder penalty. Aguero’s attempt went under Cillessen’s body and Dirk Kuyt scored.
Maxi Rodriguez was last up and netted despite Cillessen getting a hand to it, sending Argentina through to the World Cup Final against Germany.
Netherlands 0-0 Argentina (aet, 2-4 on pens)
Penalties: Vlaar (saved, N), Messi (goal, A), Robben (goal, N), Garay (goal, A), Sneijder (saved, N), Aguero (goal, A), Kuyt (goal, N), Maxi Rodriguez (goal, A).
Netherlands: Cillessen; De Vrij, Vlaar, Martins Indi (Janmaat 46); Kuyt, De Jong (Clasie 62), Wijnaldum, Blind; Sneijder; Van Persie (Huntelaar 96), Robben
Argentina: Romero; Zabaleta, Garay, Demichelis, Rojo; Perez (Palacio 81), Mascherano, Biglia; Messi; Lavezzi (M Rodriguez 101), Higuain (Aguero 82)
Ref: Cakir (TUR)