Netherlands and Argentina meet in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday for the right to face Germany in the final.
After Brazil's 7-1 humiliation by the ruthless Germans on Tuesday night in front of a devastated home crowd at Belo Horizonte, perhaps Louis van Gaal's Dutch high-fliers and Alejandro Sabella's stuttering Argentina side can cheer up the hosts in Sao Paulo.
These two teams haven't faced each other for eight years since the drab 0-0 draw at the 2006 World Cup - but both bosses are sniffing a final and will be confident despite injury concerns.
Argentina, looking to repeat their victory over the same opponents in the 1978 final (the only time they have beaten the Dutch in eight meetings in all competitions), are missing Real Madrid midfielder Angel Di Maria (thigh) although there is better news over striker Sergio Aguero.
Opta facts
- These teams have met four times in the World Cup, with Netherlands winning twice and Argentina once, with one draw.
- Argentina’s victory, in the 1978 final, is their only win against Netherlands in eight meetings overall (L4 D3).
- 10 of the Netherlands’ 12 goals in this tournament have come after half-time.
- Lionel Messi (29), Arjen Robben and Angel Di María (both 25) are the players with most completed dribbles in this tournament.
Benfica’s Enzo Perez or former Liverpool winger Maxi Rodriguez are likely to get the nod and, of course, all Argentine fans will be praying Lionel Messi still has some power left in his magic wand.
Messi proved against the Belgians in the quarter-finals that perhaps they are a one-man team. "He was our water in the desert," said coach Sabella. "When the terrain was dry, he, once again, gave us a chance to breathe fresh air."
Belgium boss Marc Wilmots may have described them as "ordinary" but perhaps the signs are there this could be their time as they prepare for their first World Cup semi-final for 24 years.
This match falls on July 9 - Independence Day in Argentina - and maybe the memory of Argentina-born forward Alfredo Di Stefano, who died this this week, will spur them to glory.
However, they face a Dutch team who are on a roll. Captain and all-time top scorer Robin van Persie may be a doubt with a stomach bug but in Louis Van Gaal they have a coach who possesses the tactical brain to overcome the South Americans.
Forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who came off the bench to destroy the Mexicans, is not a bad man to have for a plan B and Van Gaal will be also buoyed with the sight of midfield enforcer Nigel de Jong training on Tuesday.
Ed Draper is joined by Jamie Redknapp as they preview the World Cup semi-final between Holland and Argentina.
Van Gaal said the AC Milan midfielder would be checked on Wednesday for possible adverse reactions to his session, "and if they are such that he can play then a miracle will have happened".
Defender Ron Vlaar and midfielder Leroy Fer also look set to recover from knocks, but it would seem that whatever troubles are thrown at the Dutch, the cool Van Gaal always has a contingency plan.
Van Gaal, who has switched between a defensive 5-3-2 system and traditional Dutch attacking 4-3-3 formation, as well as moving striker Dirk Kuyt to wing back, played down his team's chances and admitted Messi would have to be shackled.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach said: "I don't think there's a favourite. In the semi-finals, the teams are each other's equals.
"If you score so many goals, you have something extra. And Messi always shows it on the biggest stages. He has sometimes had problems for the national team. He wants to change that and we want to make sure he doesn't."
Paul Merson's prediction:
Holland got torn to shreds – and I mean torn to absolute shreds – in parts of their group game with Australia, so for them to be sitting in the semi-finals really, really shocks me.
They aren’t very good at all and they can’t keep getting away with it.
They rely so much on Arjen Robben it’s unreal and if he doesn’t do it for them up front then I don’t see who else will, while if Lionel Messi starts running at Ron Vlaar I dread to think what will happen.
Robin van Persie, after scoring a great header against Spain, has done absolutely nothing; he has barely touched the ball and, in my opinion, is very lucky to still be getting a game.
What they do have, though, is a very good manager who knows how to get results and makes brave calls, as we saw on Saturday when he brought on Tim Krul for the penalties against Costa Rica.
Louis van Gaal has set Holland up okay but I think they have to score first in this game as if Argentina get the opening goal we will have the same game as the one against Belgium, when they won free-kicks, played with a slow tempo and killed things off.
But really I can’t see anything other than an Argentina win.
Angel Di Maria will be a massive miss but Gonzalo Higuain will be a totally different player to the one that started this tournament after scoring that unbelievable goal against Belgium and the game changer Messi will get them through.
The frustrating thing watching from an England point of view, though, is that none of the teams at this stage of the tournament are much kop.
There has been no outstanding, dominant team and the defending has been horrible and while that has made it so great watch, it makes you think this World Cup could have been anyone’s - even ours.
PAUL PREDICTS: Holland 0-2 Argentina
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