Second half goals by Leroy Fer and Memphis Depay earned Netherlands a 2-0 World Cup Group B win over Chile.
With both teams already guaranteed to reach the Last 16 of the tournament prior to kick off, the winners of this match knew they would likely avoid tournament hosts and favourites Brazil in the next round.
Second half goals by Leroy Fer and Memphis Depay earned Netherlands a 2-0 World Cup Group B win over Chile.
With both teams already guaranteed to reach the Last 16 of the tournament prior to kick off, the winners of this match knew they would likely avoid tournament hosts and favourites Brazil in the next round.
Arturo Vidal was not selected by Chile Coach Jorge Sampaoli, with the Juventus” data-scaytid=”5″>Juventus man only having had surgery last month to repair meniscus damage in his knee.
Mauricio Isla did start, however, with Napoli striker Eduardo Vargas also in the XI.
Dutch boss Louis Van Gaal meanwhile included Jeremain Lens and Dirk Kuyt in his side, while Robin van Persie and Jonathan de Guzman missed out.
Milan’s Nigel de Jong began the match in the centre of midfield.
For all the two team’s entertaining football thus far in the tournament, they served up something of a stalemate in the first half with no real clear chances created.
Lazio” data-scaytid=”12″>Lazio target Stefan De Vrij had the Europeans' best opportunity but he could only head off target following a free kick.
The South Americans had two half shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Bakary Gassama but in truth Sampaoli’s team, despite their superiority in terms of possession, did not offer enough of a threat.
Chances continued to come few and far between in the second half. Arjen Robben fired straight at Claudio Bravo following a dangerous run, but the Dutch did finally make the breakthrough just under 15 minutes from time.
Substitute Fer, with his first touch after replacing Wesley Schneider, buried a header from Daryl Janmaat’s cross to put Van Gaal’s team within touching distance of sealing top spot in the group.
Chile tried to respond and were almost level in bizarre fashion minutes later. A South American corner was flicked towards his own goal by De Jong, but De Vrij was in the right place to clear the ball off the line.
Despite another couple of late penalty appeals, Chile did not do enough to get anything out of the match and the contest was over in injury time.
Robben broke magnificently following a Chile corner and squared the ball to substitute Depay, who tapped in and preserved the Netherlands' 100 per cent tournament record.
The result means the Dutch win Group B and will probably avoid facing the Brazilians in the next round.
Chile 0 – 2 Netherlands
Fer 77 (N), Depay 90 (N)
Chile: Bravo (c), Mena, Isla, Silva (Valdivia 70), Sanchez, Vargas (Pinilla 81), Gutierrez (Beausejour 45), Medel, Jara, Aranguiz, Diaz
Netherlands: Cillessen, Vlaar, De Vrij, Blind, De Jong, Janmaat, Sneijder (Fer 75), Robben (c), Kuyt, Lens (Depay 69), Wijnaldum
Referee: Bakary Gassama (Gambia)