SAO PAULO // Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella celebrated taking his country to their first World Cup final in 24 years on Wednesday night, but stressed Germany will have the advantage when the two teams meet at the Maracana on Sunday afternoon.
Argentina achieved what their South American rivals Brazil had failed to do the previous evening: stifle a European opponent and squeeze through to the final in Rio de Janeiro. A stalemate with the Netherlands after 120 minutes resulted in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout and with Sergio Romero having saved from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder, Maxi Rodriguez stepped up to fire his side into the final.
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The 30 minutes of extra-time could play a part in Sunday’s outcome, said Sabella, who also noted that such was the comfort with which Germany dismantled Brazil 7-1 in their own semi-final on Tuesday, they could take their foot off the gas for the second half to retain energy.
“Germany are always a very difficult hurdle to overcome,” Sabella said. “It’ll be difficult playing them and it’s an additional hurdle that they’ve had the extra day. They could rein themselves in for the second half [against Brazil], whereas we’ve had to expend every drop of energy just to play in the World Cup final. So that is an advantage for them.”
A cagey first half at Arena Corinthians ended with the two teams managing just one shot on target between them – a free-kick from the subdued Lionel Messi that was held well by Jasper Cillessen. The second half, despite Dutch coach Louis van Gaal making two changes at the break, failed to improve. Gonzalo Higuain hit the side netting from a tight angle and the excellent Javier Mascherano blocked Arjen Robben near the end.
When the whistle blew for full-time, there was a sense that the Dutch had already decided they preferred their chances from the penalty spot and extra-time did little to disprove that theory. Rodrigo Palacio, a second-half substitute, headed tamely into the arms of Cillessen while Rodriguez failed to connect properly with a free volley inside the area.
Romero, the Argentine goalkeeper who had only one save to make across 120 minutes, produced two saves in the shootout, his flying block of Sneijder’s spotkick as good a penalty save as you are likely to see at a World Cup. Predictably, despite having done so little during the game, he was handed Fifa’s Man of the Match award. It is hoped he gave the trophy to Mascherano in the changing room.
“This was a very hard game and balanced from the point of view of possession,” Sabella said. “We had better opportunities and clearer possibilities, but the result is not everything. We must take into account the performance of my players, which I was absolutely thrilled with. We have a final to play now and with work, humility and seriousness we will do everything that we possibly can to make it to the top.”
Van Gaal, the Dutch coach, jokingly took the credit for Romero’s saves, claiming that he helped teach the goalkeeper when the two men worked together at AZ Alkmaar during the Argentine’s first year in Europe.
“Penalties are always a matter of luck,” Van Gaal said, adding: “I taught Romero how to stop penalties, so it hurts. Now, really, it is disappointment. It is the most terrible scenario, to lose on penalties because, at the very least, we were equal if not better in the match.”
The Netherlands will now face Brazil in the third-place play-off on Saturday, but Van Gaal was scathing of the prospect, dismissing it as an unwelcome way to end the tournament.
“This match should never be played; I have been saying this for 10 years,” he said. “We will have to play it, but it is unfair because we have one day less day to recover and the worst thing is there is a chance you lose twice in a row, so after playing marvellously well to get this far, you go home as a loser. It has nothing to do with sports, in my view. I said this 15 years ago. You shouldn’t have players play a match for third and fourth place because there is only one prize that counts and that’s becoming world champion.”
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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