Wesley Sneijder is a Dutch hero.
The young maestro marched into yesterday's Quarter-final clash with the hotly-tipped Brazil, hoping to inflict an upset on the five-time champions. And what followed proved just that.
Personally, I had money on the Dutch to win this game - Brazil had failed to impress in all but their 3-0 dispatching of Chile. But after a first-half opener from the South Americans, the boys in blue started to show flashes of dazzling flair that seemed sure to result in the end of Dutch dreams.
Then this happened: Sneijder picked up the ball on the right flank and sent a long, looping cross-cum-shot into the box. It grazed the head of Felipe Melo (who later saw red for stamping on Arjen Robben in the 73rd minute) and wound-up in the back of the net. Cue Dutch mania.
A few minutes later, though, things got even better for the Orangemen: a smart corner, flicked on by the wonderful Dirk Kuyt and powered home by the beautiful forehead of Sneijder, sealed the deal. The Dutch went on to defend everything with fine performances from stand-in centre-back, Ooijer and keeper Stekelenberg.
The Dutch will play another South American team in the Semi-finals after the most dramatic match of the tournament, bar none...
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