When Chile and Holland face each other in the final game of Group B play, it will be a battle over first place at the Corinthians Arena as both teams have already qualified for the Round of 16. The two countries have faced each other once before in the 1928 Olympics, where the game ended in a 2-2 draw. Despite both teams already booking a ticket into the next round, both nations will surely go into the match with their regular starting XI, as the runner-up in Group B will more than likely have to face hosts Brazil in the next round.
Chile comes into the game as one of the best teams in the tournament thus far, beating Australia 3-1 and then continuing their dominance against holders Spain beating them 2-0. There have been some injury concerns for “La Roja” as Arturo Vidal and Charles Aranguiz both missed training two days after their win against Spain. To add to the drama, both players hold yellow cards, and should they see one against Holland, they will be forced to miss their first knockout round game. Vidal told El Mercurio newspaper, “The squad is showing how great it is and that’s why I’m not thinking about that yellow card, or that I could be suspended. I just hope to play and be in the group, that’s the mentality of this group.” Coach Jorge Sampaoli will have a tough choice to make as both players are vitally crucial to the success of the Chilean team.
In an interview with FIFA.com, which can be seen here, Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal was asked about the importance of avoiding Brazil in the Round of 16. He responded by saying, “If I were allowed to choose, I'd rather not play against Brazil, although Croatia or Mexico aren't bad opponents either. But I think at a World Cup the host country always has an advantage.” Holland have heavily relied on the offensive threat provided by Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie as both players have three goals through their opening two games. Van Persie though will not feature for the Dutch as he received a yellow in each of the first two games, in what is a huge knock to the Dutch frontline. Schalke's Klass Jan Huntelaar will most likely feature up top to replace him, despite not having yet played a minute in Brazil.
The two countries are set to face off at 12PM EST in Sao Paulo and can be seen on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and Univision. If a TV is not accessible don’t worry, as WatchESPN will be streaming all live games directly from here and if you would like to live stream the game in Spanish here. Be sure to check into this one, as both teams will be fighting for the chance to win the group.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
