Argentina beat Netherlands in penalty shootout to reach World Cup final

I've just wasted 2+ hours of my life watching that pathetic excuse for a football match.

@cracaphat

Van Gaal had already used three substitutes. He couldn't bring Krul on.

Was really hoping for a NEDvGER final but alas, it will have to be ARG who get thumped in the final. Brazils misery continues as the arch-enemy progress. Germany will have a lot of local support now, if you cant beat them, join them. Lets go Deutschland!

Mmm that was boring, both teams strong defense killed any attacking progress. Congrats Argentina, I hope you and the Germans create a mouthwatering final!

Lord Holland loves to dive - and then have temper tanrums when they don't get the calls they wanted.

Argentina have been mostly dull through the whole tournament and the Netherlands crawled back into their shell after the group stage and entertained about as much as the the 2010 Dutch side in their last 3 games. Finals are generally poor games but Germany against Argentina is a repeat of 1986 which was the best World Cup final I've seen in my lifetime. It it is also a repeat of 1990, as bad as any I've seen.

As a Dutchy I can only say....what a boring game, from both sides. I never expected to go to the finals but im proud we made it this far. Now lets hope der mannschaft will take the cup with a nice enjoyable game.

That was a snoozer. Congrats to Argentina on being the least bad team in this game. Although, having said that, the Dutch were the better team during the game, but deserve to get knocked out just for having no attacking game.

Argentina!!!!

One away, one away.....

Was my pick from the get go, now all they have to do is get passed Germany. This is going to be a great game!

@Those calling it 'pathetic' or 'rubbish' suggests to me you would be better to watch basketball, where the points come thick and fast. It was NOT wretched in any sense. Great game. The flopper is out and THAT will do me. Germany I feel will win this World Cup. This glorious journey coming to its end. Football! My love!

@Yong Yang

If football is really your love, then surely you can recognise a bad game.

That was dire.

Great game with a great ending...good to see Argentina moving on. The last time Argentina won was 28 years ago, and the last time Germany won was 24 years ago...will be an epic final but would be good to see Argentina win. @tmarie...could agree with you more...the Dutch players need to control their anger better. FIFA should allow refs to issue technical fouls (yellow cards) to players who demonstrate their anger/frustration like they do in the NBA and MLB.

@Luc: If you can't see that this game was one that saw each other's strengths being canclled out by tactics, endeavor, and skill, well, you do need a game with more 'flash and boom' aka Basketball. It may well have been a tactically constipated semi-final, but to see Messi suffocated, to see Holland kept out and Robben running into dead-end after dead-end, to watch a meeting of two teams set above all on not losing the half-share in the World Cup final with which they started the match, well, fascinating stuff. The battle of stalemate can be more difficult to appreciate, but as a game? It had it all. You have to delve deeper with understanding, sight and knowledge to truly appreciate that to stifle Messi, with 3 of your players to him, and still have a functional midfield is an immense hat to tip to tactics, graft and team work. Dire it was not.

A 1986-esque final please, not a 1990! Germany to win it though. Me too, don't get how you can call that game 'boring' it was all about stifling, stopping and winning. Great game!

All world cup semi-finals are interesting games as there's so much at stake and they tend to be incredibly tense like this one.

Holland didn't deserve another final - they couldn't score a goal, not only against Argentina but also Costa Rica. Bet they would have been aiming for penalties in the final like they tried to do last time.

If Argentina win in Rio that will be two traumatic experiences for Brazilians in the same week.

@Yong

Can't agree. I've been watching football week in, week out for over forty years and I've seen some thrilling 0-0 draws, but this wasn't one of them for me. To quote your good self:

It may well have been a tactically constipated semi-final, but to see Messi suffocated, to see Holland kept out and Robben running into dead-end after dead-end, to watch a meeting of two teams set above all on not losing....

Hardly sounds exciting.

Oh, and I can't stand basketball, by the way... I'm an Englishman, Godammit! ; )

@Luc. I'll agree to disagree. Doesn't HAVE to be exciting. It can be many adjectives, intriguing, fascinating, intelligent etc. Quick tangent, but, doesn't your FA need tearing down and rebuilding from scratch? Be the one to cause revolution in the English game, it needs it and we need your England's game on the world stage.

Luc, as others have posted, I don't need the game to only be 'exciting', I saw it as a fascinating meeting of tactics, fear and desperate measures to NOT lose. These games can be as challenging to follow, enjoy and experience as any other equivalent in any other sport. Again, to keep Messi quiet the way they did and for Robben to to be nullified...

@Yong

Well, yes , I admit I'm not much of a football sophisticate. Forty years following Coventry City will do that to you!

@Luc, that's some dedication. The Canaries can fly higher, here's to the wind under their wings.

The flopper is out and THAT will do me. Germany I feel will win this World Cup. This glorious journey coming to its end. Football! My love!

Holland didn't deserve another final - they couldn't score a goal, not only against Argentina but also Costa Rica. Bet they would have been aiming for penalties in the final like they tried to do last time.

For all you "soccer lovers", who are complaining about the Dutch tactics (of one man...), call the Argentinian team superior etc etc, you not real soccer lovers, but fans....a soccer lover appreciates that with tactics, teamwork and perseverance one can create a winning team out of a group of mostly young and inexperienced players, who weren't even a real team yet until the world cup started. A fan is a prejudiced shallow loud mouth, who just looks for excuses to bring the team down which brought their team down. Argentine has had a mediocre world cup and besides a few actions of messi nothing to write home about. Germany has been playing average at best, until their destruction of Brazil. Both teams which are full of regulars and experienced players stand rightfully in the final, but the Dutch did a marvelous job making it difficult for Messi&co.

To add to those who liked the game - no, it was not only defensive type of football. Both teams tried hard to attack - but as already said both were very good to suppress. So the clash was epic - well Argentina got a bit tired in the second half but they still had the better chances.

I just wonder what would have happened if Higuain's shot was on target (which hit the side net)? The side referee gave nonexistent offside :(

BTWI was cheering for the Dutch but after all think the better team won! Dutch are a bit too much predictable...

Although a shootout was looking more and more likely, the Dutch coach made some substitutions which meant that they couldn't use van Persie or their goalkeeper Krul when the inevitable moment came.

There is the tragedy of Holland team. Since 1974 it has been runner up for many times. Unlike other teams Holland has never won the trophy before.

Hiring super genius Duct coach will be journey of the Doom for Manchester United. He was stupid enough to used all available substitutes.David Luis has been bought of 90 millions for strong and solid defense. In my living memory, he was the weakest defender.

@Dutch, tactics ain't cheating, AKA deceiving the ref with intent.

I can not believe it!! no hand ball tricks/fouls from the Argentineans, they must have changed since Maradonna left the team!!

@Dutch, tactics ain't cheating, AKA deceiving the ref with intent.

Bla bla, deceiving the referee has been part of the game since day one, e.g. a guy touches the ball, it goes outside the lines, he raises his arms "I didn't touch it!". I don't know what team you support, you name it, I name your cheater. ( by the way; We Dutch people are honest to the bone, we always deceive unintentional)

That was a really really bad and boring match. It looked like both teams didn't want to go to the Final with the prospect of getting massacred by "Die Mannschaft". Understandable, it's easy to take some pride and honor from a 3rd place at a worldcup than loosing by a wide margin which just leaves a mental scare on the players mind. Even Brazil would have won that game.

@Andreas, hilarious! Maybe that explains that "Snorefest!"

by the way; We Dutch people are honest to the bone, we always deceive unintentional

Are you always unintentionally condescending too? You seem to think that anyone who likes the way Holland played is a real soccer lover and people who disagree a bit uniformed. Holland's total football reputation has taken a battering since you tried to kick Spain off the park in the last WC and now you're playing out 0-0s and penalties, with more dives than shots! Even against Costa Rica!

@daveskecks

I'm pretty sure Dutchduck was being less than serious. ; )

@Dutch, suck it hup! As you say. You'd think you were on a submarine watching Holland play, 'Dive! Dive! Dive!' Well, no other team will be Robbened of a result they deserve in this World Cup. Praise be!

Good! It's time that Germany pulls the Argentina team's pants off next!

Oh dear, some of the comments about the Dutch. As far as entertainment goes, I guess we should just go all out attack against Argentina and get smashed of the park like Brazil did. Just for some people's entertainment.

As for the diving comments, just... don't. There was no diving in this game.

The game itself was very tactical, not much between the teams. Shame we lost, but proud to have made the semifinals given the Argentinian quality on the pitch. We'll try again in 4 years...

Ah karma, yes even SOCCER can not escape from KARMA, funny how Holland against Mexico won on boring penalty kicks and now?? YES!! Holland gets knocked out of the world cup on?? YES!! BORING penalty kicks by Argentina! I do have to admit, this was the most pathetic, BORING match or one of the most BORING matches in this world cup, but happy for ARGENTINA, and sorry to burst GERMAN bubbles, but ALL OF DECENT Latin Americans would rather have our amigos in ARGENTINA win over Germany, kind of like wanting your amigo to help you out if you get knocked down by Germans, now can Argentina do it?? Not sure, but GHANA was close to drawing with Germany and Argentina is way stronger than Ghana so??

Dutch, suck it hup! As you say. You'd think you were on a submarine watching Holland play, 'Dive! Dive! Dive!' Well, no other team will be Robbened of a result they deserve in this World Cup. Praise be!

Ouch you're hurting my sensitive Dutch feelings with your wit Anyways ....on a more serious note, you don't need to like the Dutch team, but that eternal going on and on about diving getting really old , maybe we beat your favorite team, cry in your pillow and get over it....fans...

Was indeed a Messi game.

The Dutch are getting a hard time here. Over the six matches I'd say the Netherlands have provided more entertainment than Argentina. Yes, it was pretty much all in the group stage but Argentina have been pretty uninspiring in the group and knockout stages apart from some Messi stunners. I hoped Colombia or Chile could go all the way because they were the best footballing teams by some distance for me, although Mexico and Algeria deserve honourable mentions. Someone mentioned karma and I don't believe in that kind of nonsense but based on the games I've seen, Germany deserve to stuff a very dull Argentina side.

@David Quintero Navarro

Holland won Mexico with single penalty shot from Robban. According video, it was a acting not the real foul. Not the boring penalty kicks as you mentioned. Costa Rica lost with penalty kicks.it has shared cruel fate as Holland today.

According Buddhism, every sin should be pay back promptly before the enlightenment. Argentina goal keeper was a student of Dutch Coach Van Gall. Sadly the former ungrateful student was responsible for ruining the life long dream of Holland or Netherlands soccer team.

According video, it was a acting not the real foul. 

According to a Mexico video, you forgot to say....

@David if Argentina plays against Germany like they did against Holland then all Germany fans can keep sleeping save and sound. It's likely that on Sunday Argentina comes onto the field, reluctantly and close to crying and when the start whistle is made they will fall onto their knees before Germany and beg them to "be gentle when Germany will eliminate them".

Argentina!!!!! It was a great day being an Argentine. We had the honor of facing Holland to play a tactful match that lasted to the bitter end. Our defense slowed Robben down, the same defense that was criticized for being weak. I hope this shows the world that while we do have the best player in the world, he belongs to a team known as Argentina! Now off to the finals we go, as it seems we're the underdogs in this match. I hope Argentina plays the game of their lives!

Dutchduck

No. It is according FIFA highlight and TSM plug HD video. Do not confuse me as Latino. I was a die-hard teen Asian fan of Oranges team before Robban was born. I still had the unpleasant memory of Holland last minute lost to West Germany in 1974. My nightmare still revisit again and again in 2010 and 2014. I am no longer in my prime and old and grey as rotten orange.

I have to say my strongest wish in the life is not winning lottery. I would like to see Duct national team smiling and running on the grass with trophy. However I am not sure whether I will be still alive when Holland celebrate the glory with joy and pride.

Athletes, We can argue whether it was PK yes or not until kingdom come.....but we share one wish. Still you have to give credit to the boys and the coach of this team...only 3 fit veterans and the rest a bunch of young inexperienced lads playing in a far than ideal evironment. This team got much further than most teams with double the experience and talent....The Netherlands has 16 million people so there's far less talent to pick than comparing teams. After all this hard work, some whiners(mostly latin american) keep going on about some (self admitted..honesty is a rarity in soccer) schwalbes. Like I said these are just fans, a real football fan would appreciate the heights this team reached. Nonsense like "they couldn't score against Costa Rica, so they deserved to lose", is just dumb parroting of some nationalistics....Holland ruled that game, and they deserved the PK win.

Against Mexico they completely controlled the second half and would have won, even in that Mexico favoring heat. The PK was just a thing waiting to happen after the endless attacks.

Argentina didn't play better than Holland, they were quiet even, it was without any fouls from Argentinian side and without any schwalbes from Robben. Both teams deserved to continue, where both teams shined in their forwards in previous games, this game was controlled by the defenses. In four year Holland will be there and a lot over hyped countries like the Ticos and Mexico will nowhere to be seen, because they won't play with home advantage.

Don't give up on us just yet, we'll be back stronger and keeping the world guessing what we come up this time.

Zenpun

Hiring super genius Duct coach will be journey of the Doom for Manchester United. He was stupid enough to used all available substitutes. David Luis has been bought of 90 millions for strong and solid defense. In my living memory, he was the weakest defender.

What in the hell are you talking about? Sideshow Bob has joined PSG. Manchester United would never want that tool.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/07/brazil-world-cup-david-luiz-interview-fake-subtitles

@Dutch, don't matter what you say or Hup, no Dutch World Cup! :-)