Ciocnirea gigantilor are loc astazi intre Brazilia si Olanda(ora 17:00 TVR 1),doua echipe care au renuntat la stilul spectaculos din trecut si pun mai mare pret pe spectacol.Celebrul olandez Johann Cruyff i-a atacat pe brazilieni inca din debutul competitie:” e o pedeapsa la adresa fotbalului ca Brazilia a renuntat la traditia care i-a adus cinci titluri mondiale si adopta moda de a juca la rezultat.

Brazilienii iubeau mingea,o tratau ca pe un prieten. Acum par ca o trateaza ca pe un dusman. Acest stil,inventat inaintea lui Dunga, de a distruge jocul adversarului,nu este stilul care a transformat fotbalul in cel mai popular sport planetar.

Nu vad Brazilia castigand trofeul.Nu e o echipa creativa,nu are prea multe variante.Normal,este puternica si bine structurata, fiindca Dunga a format-o cu gandul de a garanta rezultatul, insa nu se identifica deloc cu trecutul.” Dar oare Olanda lui Merjwick nu a pus pe prim plan rezultatul cand a decis sa renunte la traditionalul 4-3-3?Batavii au castigat meciurile din grupa jucand organizat si fortand doar cat a fost nevoie sa treaca de adversarii modesti intalniti.Acum e momentul adevarului pentru olandezi,care joaca cu una dintre cele mai puternice echipe nationala.Va fi una dintre cele 2 finale din sferturi intre Europa si America de Sud:Olanda-Brazilia si Argentina-Germania.

Elano e accidentat si Ramires suspendat,iar Felipe Melo e incert.Olandezii pot conta pe toti jucatorii si vom vedea atacul Robben-Sneijder,Kuyt-Van Persie.

Olanda: Maarten Stekelenburg – Gregory van der Wiel, John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni van Bronckhorst – Mark van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong – Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt – Robin van Persie. antrenor: Bert van Marwijk.

Brazilia: Julio Cesar – Maicon, Lucio, Juan, Michel Bastos – Dani Alves, Josue, Gilberto Silva, Kaka – Luis Fabiano, Robinho. antrenor: Carlos Dunga.

Uruguay-Ghana ora 21:30 in direct pe TVR 1

Ghana e la un pas de cea mai buna performanta din istoria fotbalului african,dar jocul echipei lasa de dorit. Doi dintre cei mai importanti oameni ai echipei in victoria Ghanei din sferturi 2-1 in prelungiri cu SUA,Ayew si Mensah sunt suspendati.Alti doi oameni de baza,Gyan si Kevin Prince Boateng au probleme medicale.

Tabarez a anuntat deja echipa probabila: Fernando Muslera – Diego Lugano, Mauricio Victorino, Jorge Fucile, Maximiliano Pereira – Diego Perez, Egidio Arevalo, Edinson Cavani, Alvaro Fernandez – Luis Suarez, Diego Forlan. – echipa de baza,in linii mari aceeasi formula de echipa folosita in meciurile de pana acum.

Storylines

• The Black Stars can become the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals. Only two other African teams have reached the quarterfinals: Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002).

• Uruguay aims for its first semifinal berth in 40 years: The last time Uruguay reached the final four was 1970, when it lost 3-1 to Brazil.

• Luis Suarez: His two goals against South Korea put Uruguay into the quarterfinals. The 23-year-old Ajax striker has emerged as one of the new stars of the World Cup, scoring three goals in his last two matches and winning Man of the Match honors in both.

• Ghana suspensions: Andre Ayew and Jonathan Mensah both miss the match because of yellow card accumulation suspensions. Ayew won Man of the Match honors in the win over the U.S.

Series history

• First meeting.

What to look for

• Oscar Tabarez named his side on Wednesday for Uruguay. The only change from the South Korea game is defender Diego Godin. He misses the quarterfinal because of a thigh injury. Mauricio Victorino replaces him.

• Ghana injury problems: Asamoah Gyan and Kevin-Prince Boateng, the goal scorers in the win over the U.S., have injury problems. Boateng came out of the U.S. game with a hamstring injury. Gyan injured an ankle in training.

• Sulley Muntari may start: The temperamental Inter Milan midfielder has not started in any Ghana game but may start if Gyan or Boateng can’t answer the bell. Muntari was reported to have launched an abusive tirade at head coach Milovan Rajevac after the Australia game but after appeals from Ghana veterans was kept on the squad.

• Uruguay tactical switch: After his team opened with a 0-0 draw with France, Tabarez put young striker Edinson Cavani into the forward line, creating a three-man front alongside Suarez and Diego Forlan, although with Forlan playing in a slightly deeper position. The move has paid dividends with Uruguay scoring six goals in its last three games.

• Anthony Annan: The 23-year-old has filled the defensive duties of injured Michael Essien remarkably well for Ghana. Currently playing in Norway, Annan has made a huge impact at this World Cup and could well be on his way to a bigger club.

• Uruguay yellow cards: Three players including captain and defensive anchor Diego Lugano carry a yellow card into this game. The other two are Jorge Fucile and Victorino.

From the research room

• While Tabarez’s side has been impressive, with strikers Suarez and Forlan providing a clinical edge up front, Uruguay has had less of the ball than its opponents in all four of its games.

• Uruguay is the smallest nation left in the World Cup, and second-smallest overall with a population of 3.5 million people. (Slovenia was smallest nation, with 2 million people.) Uruguay is the smallest nation to reach the quarterfinals since Ireland in 1990 (which also had a population of about 3.5 million at the time).

• Uruguay is the first South American team other than Argentina or Brazil to make the last eight since Peru in 1978.

• Ghana is the youngest team at the World Cup.

• Gyan has netted six goals in his nine appearances at international tournaments this year (three goals at the African Cup of Nations and three at the World Cup).

Pariuri

Uruguay-Ghana 1 cota 2.10