Van Persie, Robben come up short again
Print Edition
ARJEN Robben and Robin van Persie came up empty again.
The Netherlands forwards, and the rest of the team, essentially ran out of steam on Wednesday in the World Cup semifinals, losing to Argentina in a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0 draw.
How different to a month ago and the start of the tournament, when the teammates scored two goals each and the Dutch soared to a glorious 5-1 win over defending champion Spain.
It was all downhill from there for the three-time World Cup runner-up.
The Dutch never again reached the heights of that win over the world champion in Salvador, trailing Australia at one point, and then needing a last-gasp comeback against Mexico and its own shoot-out win over underdog Costa Rica to make the last four.
On Wednesday in a grinding battle against Argentina in Sao Paulo, the Dutch were on their last legs.
Their fate appeared to be especially tied to the two front men, who both failed to score in open play in the knockout stages. And on Wednesday, the Argentine defense kept them covered yet again.
The Netherlands’ World Cup hopes faded through the last three games and finally ended with a 2-4 shoot-out loss to the Argentines. “You can’t blame anybody, also not the boys who missed penalties,” said Robben, who did score in the shoot-out. “You win together and you lose together.”
Van Persie, the Netherlands captain, didn’t even make the shoot-out. His World Cup ended as he was brought off in extra time, with coach Louis van Gaal describing him as “exhausted.”
Robben, however, did keep going. And the Netherlands’ best chance of breaking the deadlock even fell to him. But like in the loss in the World Cup final in South Africa four years ago, he was agonizingly denied.
Back then, Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas stopped his shot with an outstretched foot. This time, Robben’s goal-bound poke was blocked by midfielder Javier Mascherano.
“We created tiny chances,” Robben said. “I had one right before full time. It didn’t come on to me nicely.”
Van Gaal was more brutal, or maybe just more realistic, in his assessment. “We didn’t create very much,” he said.
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