Matchday 20 - Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory

Netherlands 2 (Felipe Melo 53og, Sneijder 68) - Brazil 1 (Robinho 10)
Uruguay 1 (Forlan 55) - Ghana 1 (Muntari 45+2) (Uruguay won 4-2 on penalties)

Matchday 20 was the day the World Cup scriptwriter pulled out his experimentation wheel, and spun up acid! Never in my 25 years of following sports can I remember a night of such remarkable events. The first quarter-final saw the Netherlands do the impossible, overturning a half time deficit to defeat Brazil 2-1. The late game was even more fantastical with Uruguay defeating Ghana on penalties, after Ghana had seemed all but assured of being the first African team to advance to the semi-finals.

But tears will be flowing far and wide in Brazil this morning after the five time champions succumbed to arguably one of the greatest chokes in World Cup history (a choke soon to be eclipsed if you can believe it), going down 2-1 to the Netherlands. The Brazilians absolutely dominated the game for the first 50 minutes after taking an early lead through Robinho's clinical finish from a Felipe Melo through ball. The South Americans were in cruise control and looked like closing out the Dutch easily to get to the semis. But Brazilian dreams turned to nightmares when a Wes Sneijder cross was accidentally headed into the Brazilian goal by Felipe Melo. From nowhere the Dutch where level...and the Brazilians quite simply fell apart! The superb passing game disappeared, as they reverted to the long ball and repeated fouling of the Dutch players. I cannot remember a more remarkable turnaround in momentum in a World Cup match. With the game to be won it was the Dutch rather than the Brazilians who stepped to the plate, and Sneijder made himself a national hero in the 68th minute, heading in Dirk Kuyt's flick on from a corner earned by Arjen Robben. This truly sent the Brazilians into shock and the dreams were extinguished 5 minutes later when Melo was sent off for stamping Robben. They through everyone forward with no semblance of structure and in the end the Dutch should have added a third or fourth. It was a remarkable show of mental fragility by the South Americans who will now go home to a hail of scrutiny and questions. The Dutch pulled off the greatest victory since perhaps making the final in 1974, and being on the soft side of the draw they already have a foot in the final.

If there was a bit of crazy about the first game, the matchup between Uruguay and Ghana was true insanity. Somehow, in the end, Uruguay advanced, 4-2 on penalties, showing a much steelier resolve in the shootout than their African opponents (who had not participated in a shootout since 1992). The teams ended the 90 minutes at 1-1, Sulley Muntari's long range strike in first half stoppage time cancelled out by a sublime free kick from Diego Forlan just after the break. Extra time then had to be seen to be believed. Pretty much nothing happened for the first 25 extra minutes with no clear cut chances for either side. But in the last 5 minutes Ghana started to get on top and press the Uruguayan penalty area. The South Americans held out gamely until Ghana earned a free kick in stoppage time in extra time. The next series events will go down into World Cup folklore. The free kick curled in, a scramble, a Ghana shot, and Luis Suarez cleared the ball...off the goal line!!!! But the ball only rebounded back to the 6 yard box where it was again headed goalwards by Stephen Appiah. Again Suarez cleared the ball off the goal line.....but with his hands!!! The ref pointed to the penalty spot and produced a red card to dismiss Suarez. With 123 minutes of game time expired, Africa had the first team in their history in the Semi-Finals. All Asamoah Gyan had to do was slot the penalty with the last kick of the game. Off a short run up he stepped up......AND SMASHED THE BALL OFF THE CROSS BAR!!!!!!! The ball cannoned out of play, the ref blew the final whistle and Uruguay received their divine intervention. The more clinical South American were always going to be favoured in the shootout, and so it proved. They went 4/5 from the spot compared to Ghana's 2/4, and when veteran striker Sebastian Abreu audaciously chipped his penalty home Uruguay were in raptures. It was devastation for Ghana, who will surely never get the chance again to get so close to a World Cup Semi Final.

Semi Final Matches - Uruguay ($3.75) v Netherlands ($1.35)

What We Learned - Something we really had no idea about - that the Brazilians were unbelievably and unforgivably mentally fragile. They hadn't trailed in any preceding match at the tournament and when they went behind they had absolutely no idea how to react, short of punting the ball up field and hacking the Dutch down when the Netherlands had the ball. It was a sad sight to see to be honest from a team that was expected to have a stronger resolve, especially given the playing career of their coach, Dunga.

The Falcon's Spud of the Day - Asamoah Gyan (Ghana) - Their could of been a host of winners, but it has hard to go past Gyan who only had to slot a penalty in extra time stoppage time to ensure Ghana made history as the first African nation to make it to the semi's. He had already slotted penalties against Serbia and Australia, but when he needed it most here his nerve failed him and he blasted them ball into the cross bar and over. Sadly it will be the defining moment of his career.

Tonight's Games - Surely the football cannot be any more thrilling tonight. Then again, with Argentina playing Germany anything is possible, and this has all the hallmarks of a classic. I think it is too close to call and could easily see it going to penalties. The late game sees Spain take on Paraguay, and surely some degree of normalcy will return to the quarters here with Spain proving themselves far too good.

Suggested Investment - The first loss for a while last night with some very unpredictable results. The Argentina-Germany game is so close that I would suggest coupling up a draw after 90 minutes with Spain to beat Paraguay in regulation time.

Prices courtesy of Betfair.