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SCORE: Netherlands 0, Argentina 0
31' -- Back-to-back punches from GK Sergio Romero extinguishes any Dutch hope of a chance from distance. Van Persie flagged for offsides. Thus far, Robben has been remarkably absent, as well.
Garay's chance off the 24' corner:
28' -- Yep, he " seems okay," says broadcaster. Guess that settles it.
26' -- Javier Mascherano down after a mid-air collision with Wijnaldum. Looks like docs are checking for concussion. Mascherano stumbled for a few steps and then fell. Not being carried off, still unsure if he's staying on.
25' -- Van Persie almost settles the ball off a huge lob, but Garay was back in time to limit the danger. Would've been a one-v-one chance for RVP.
23' -- Perez mistouches a short lead pass to a cutting Messi, but it goes for another corner. Argentina building, and Netherlands with all kinds of numbers in the back (even van Persie). Garay heads it way over the bar off the corner.
21' -- Better corner attempt from Messi, but Blind heads it to safety. Surprisingly few chances nearly halfway through the first.
19' -- Zabaleta crosses it to Higuain, but De Vrij has it covered. Corner coming (ultimately botched by Messi). Argentinians picking on Holland's left side, relentlessly.
16' -- Both teams playing well out of the back, holding possession and building chances. Not a ton of low-percentage lobs or through balls from either side. Both sides going at huge lengths not to concede the ball.
14' -- Messi blasts it through the wall, but Cillessen catches it with ease.
13' -- Perez gets knocked down just outside the box by Vlaar. Huge set piece here for Argentina/ Messi.
11' -- Robben stays on his feet near the box. Your first shocker of the game. Sneijder misses a chance far left from the top of the box.
Sounds about right:
De Jong hasn't been more than three yards from Messi since the opening run.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) July 9, 2014 9' -- The Dutch are terrified of Messi. Nine men back to defend the Argentine wizard. Fizzled quickly, but it doesn't take much space for him.
5' -- Argentina with early advantage in possession. Have created a few nice sequences through attacking midfielders Perez and Higuain along right flank.
2' -- Big step from Stefan De Vrij to deny an early Argentine chance. Both teams, as expected, feeling each other out. All we ask is that it's more entertaining than yesterday's meltdown.
1' -- We're off from Sao Paulo.
Keep in mind: If Holland wins, we're guaranteed our first European World Cup winner for a South American World Cup. Also, Argentina is 5-0 this tournament.
Argentina vs. Netherlands | Kickoff: 7/9, 4 p.m. ET | Stadium: Corinthians, Sao Paulo
PREGAME: Here's to hoping that today's semifinal matchup isn't nearly the destruction of yesterday's display. A few interesting notes now that we're inside of an hour until kickoff from Sao Paulo.
Sergio Aguero won't start for Alejandro Sabella's side, meaning that the the dangerous striker could provide a late-game boost as a substitute after missing all of the elimination games thus far with a groin injury.
The Dutch's feisty midfielder Nigel de Jong will, in fact, start after he was earlier expected to miss the rest of the World Cup with another groin injury. He'll have a massive responsibility from the midfield in trailing Lionel Messi. It also appears that Robin van Persie (stomach illness) will start for the Dutch as well.
CBSSports.com's World Cup semifinal predictions, here:
Argentina starters: Romero, Garay, Zabaleta, Biglia, Perez, Higuain, Messi, Mascherano, Demichelis, Rojo, Lavezzi
Netherlands starters: Cillessen, Vlaar, De Vrij, Martins Indi, Blind, De Jong, Van Persie, Sneijder, Robben, Kuyt, Wijnaldum
Match Preview: Entering Wednesday's semifinal, Argentina has a chance to return to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990, having already surpassed the quarterfinals stage where its campaign was halted in three of the last four tournaments. It will face the Netherlands, whom it famously dispatched in the 1978 finals, 3-1.
The winner will take on Germany, who destroyed Brazil 7-1 on Tuesday.
In a 1-0 win over Belgium, Argentina showed its defensive mettle by impeding chance after chance against all of Belgium's weapons. It wasn't so much keeper Sergio Romero as it was the back four, including central defenders Ezequiel Garay and Martin Demichelis, who served as the wall in front of Romero. It's equally as important to note that Argentina's eighth-minute goal scorer wasn't Lionel Messi. Instead it was Gonzalo Higuain who struck first, signifying that while the team may be built around Messi, it can survive without his scoring brilliance (at least for one day). That defense must be as foolproof as it was in the quarterfinals, especially against the counterattacking exploits of its orange opponents.
Standing in Lio Messi's way is a Dutch team long on confidence after stunning Mexico and outlasting a feisty Costa Rican team in penalty kicks. Its unabashed coach Louis van Gaal chose to substitute his keeper ahead of penalty kicks in what amounted to a stunning yet prescient decision. Thanks, in part, to successful penalties from Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben, the Dutch snuck through. After lighting up the group stages with 10 goals, it's managed just two tallies in the elimination rounds. Argentina has scored just two goals as well without having conceded any in the knockout rounds.
The Dutch have a slight chance of getting hardnosed midfielder Nigel De Jong back from injury, but the latest concern revolves around Robin Van Persie's "stomach problem." His status is in doubt for Wednesday's clash in Sao Paulo.
Argentina will certainly be without Angel Di Maria (leads his team with 25 shots), who injured his right thigh in the first half against Belgium. Di Maria's absence leaves Messi even more vulnerable to ceaseless man-marking from the Dutch side. Striker Sergio Aguero should return from an injury to his thigh, and perhaps we might see Maxi Rodriguez in place of Di Maria, but needless to say, this puts more pressure on Messi to elude defenders, attack in tight areas, and faciliate.
Goals were scored at a feverish pace during the group stages, while teams have shored up leaky backlines thus far in the elimination rounds (save for, of course, Brazil's abomination on Tuesday). Even though Wednesday's match features the sublime talents of Messi and Robben, don't expect anything other than a one-goal difference, either way. Argentina must also be wary of some late Dutch magic as it's fostered three comeback wins thus far in the World Cup.
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