LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — The Dutch were outnumbered.
Argentina had a Lionel Messi and the Netherlands had none.
And yet, the Oranje came from behind and forced extra time in the World Cup quarter-finals to go down in history by scoring in the 83rd minute and then on a pitch-type restart in the 11th, yes 11th! — second half stoppage time minute.
When Argentina ran away with a 4-3 win on penalties Coming off a 2-2 draw to reach a semi-final against Croatia on Saturday, the Dutch collapsed on the pitch in their glaring orange kits, looking like a withered field of citrus. The 6-foot-6 Wout Weghorst stood with his back to the center circle as Messi danced with his teammates in front of tens of thousands of chanting supporters.
“They gave it their all and I am incredibly proud,” said coach Louis van Gaal. “They did everything they could to prevent this from happening.”
A nation that gave the world Total Soccer half a century ago stands by with a total of zero World Cup titles, and continues to look up to Brazil (five), Germany and Italy (four each), Argentina, France and Uruguay (two each) and England and Spain.
The Netherlands, a renowned innovator with coaches who attract young prospects from around the world, have lost three World Cup finals. The Dutch took an early lead in 1974 before losing to West Germany 2-1 and returned to the championship game four years later only to lose to Argentina 3-1 after extra time.
Their next generation won a European Championship title in 1988 with Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten beating the Soviet Union 2-0. But the grand prix still eluded the Dutch.
Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie led them to another final in 2010, but they lost 1-0 after extra time to superior Spain, then were beaten by Messi and Argentina in the 2014 semi-finals on penalties. Back at the World Cup this year after failing to qualify for 2018, they entered the quarterfinals riding a 19-game unbeaten streak.
There were just 1,400 Dutch fans who stood out in their bright jerseys from a crowd of 88,235, around 90% wearing Argentina’s blue and white striped jerseys with Messi’s number 10 on the back.
Sublime no-look pass from Messi set up Nahuel Molina’s goal in the 35th minuteY Messi doubled the lead by converting a penalty in minute 73 after Denzel Dumfries pushed Marcos Acuña to the edge of the penalty area.
“I think that penalty was awarded quite easily,” Van Gaal said.
Aiming for a tall task, Van Gaal opted for tall. He inserted Weghorst, who headed a Steven Berghuis cross past Emiliano Martínez in the 83rd.
The benches were cleared five minutes later on a night with a world record 17 yellow cards plus one red after the game.
And then came the biggest twist of all. After Germán Pezzella fouled Weghorst to give the Dutchman a free kick from 22 yards out, Teun Koopmeiners started a play seen in training but almost never in games: He sent a low shot along the ground to the wall, where Weghorst took a bunt, spun and sent the ball past Martinez..
And there was the score after extra time, after the drama of Enzo Fernández’s blow against a post in the discount of the second extension.
“We thought we could win when it comes to penalties,” Van Gaal said.
Captain Virgil van Dijk served the first and Martínez dove to the right to put the ball away. After Messi converted, Martínez slumped to the left to deny Berghuis.
When Enzo Fernández hit the post with his try, the Dutchman had a chance, but Lautaro Martínez he sent his kick to the right of keeper Andries Noppert, who dove to the left.
As the celebration spread, Messi and Van Gaal exchanged words.
“This was my last game,” said Van Gaal, coming to the end of his third term in charge of the Oranje. “I look back in a positive way.”
Asked to rate his performance, he mentioned the team’s 20-game unbeaten streak.
“I don’t know how many we won (14), but one scores all of that. I think it’s Google,” she said. “Dutch team and Louis van Gaal and goal difference”.
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