Brazil-Netherlands a classic matchup; Uruguay-Ghana a new one

Brazil-Netherlands a classic matchup

For fans who want to see more scoring in soccer, Friday might be the time to tune in.

Brazil plays the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals, and both teams are capable of filling the net.

The five-time champion Brazilians have Luis Fabiano, Robinho and Kaka, as dangerous a trio as any in the tournament. The Dutch can counter with Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie.

It could make for some tantalizing soccer at Port Elizbaeth (10 a.m. EDT).

“We have a very good connection, especially because of the time we played together for Sao Paulo. One look is enough to know what we are going to do,” Kaka said of teaming with Luis Fabiano, who has three goals in the World Cup. “I hope to give him many more assists in the rest of the World Cup and that he ends up as the top scorer.”

The respect is mutual.

“We have a perfect connection,” Luis Fabiano said. “We understand each other. I just have to get in position and I know he will get the ball to me.”

Robinho got his first goal of the tournament in a 3-0 victory over Chile in the round of 16.

“The tendency now is to get better,” Robinho said. “After that first goal, it usually gets easier to score more.”

Brazil might need lots of offense because the Dutch are dangerous. Robben returned to the lineup in the final group game after a hamstring injury, then started — and starred — against Slovakia, scoring the first goal in a 2-1 win.

“We want to play beautifully, but it doesn’t always work,” midfielder Mark van Bommel said. “But the bottom line is we qualified for the quarterfinals. We know what we’re doing.”

What they are doing is winning — all four matches thus far.

“In the past, everyone said the Dutch play nice football but they never win something,” Robben said.

Van Persie was angry at being substituted against Slovakia, believing chances to score were about to come his way.

“I wanted to finish the game. I thought they would take risks in the last 10 minutes and I wanted to exploit that,” Van Persie said after the game. “I could see spaces opening up and I wanted to use them, so I was a bit shocked when I had to go off.”

Coach Bert van Marwijk acted quickly to avoid any rift in his team.

Friday’s other quarterfinal has two relative surprises, Uruguay against Ghana (2:30 p.m. at Johannesburg).

Uruguay’s success has been emblematic of South America’s dominance in the tournament. All five of the continent’s teams advanced, and four remain — Argentina plays Germany and Paraguay plays Spain on Saturday.

Uruguay’s defense has been almost impenetrable, allowing only one goal, to South Korea in the second round. The last team to qualify for the tournament — it had to beat Costa Rica in a playoff — Uruguay has a dangerous scoring duo in Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan to go with its stingy defense.

The players are giving full credit for their best showing since making the 1970 semifinals to coach Oscar Tabarez.

“He is quite calm as a coach, with a lot of experience, who knows how to handle the group very well. The experience that he has from (the 1990 World Cup) and other teams has helped us all a lot,” Forlan said.

Ghana beat the United States 2-1 in extra time in the round of 16, the second straight World Cup in which it has knocked out the Americans. Asamoah Gyan has three goals, including the winner against the U.S. He also is nursing an ankle injury.

As the last African team standing in the first tournament to be hosted on the continent, Ghana has become a fan favorite. As if those expectations weren’t enough, the squad could also become Africa’s first team to make the semifinals.

“We are not thinking about the pressure. We played very well at the African (Cup of) Nations so we have already proved that we are a team that knows how to compete,” said Ghana’s Serbian coach, Milovan Rajevache. “We will try to relax.

“We have no obligation but still we want to use this opportunity to do our best and to make history.”