The Netherlands scored twice in the second half to stun the five-time champion Brazil, 2-1, in the World Cup quarterfinals on Friday, the biggest Dutch win in the tournament since the team’s glory days in the 1970s.  Brazil entered the game as a heavy favorite, thought to have to skill and the discipline to win the title, and it went ahead after 10 minutes when Robinho sliced through a patchwork Dutch back line to slot home a 30-yard pass from Felipe Melo.  But the Netherlands tied the score on another defensive mistake. After Arjen Robben won a free kick near the right sideline, the ball was pushed ahead, and then back to Wesley Sneijder. Sneijder lofted a left-footed cross toward the goal, but Brazil’s goalkeeper, Julio Cesar, failed to catch it and it deflected into the net off the only other player who rose to challenge for it: Felipe Melo. (Saturday, 6:26 p.m. | Updated FIFA announced Saturday that it had credited the first goal to Sneijder, ruling the ball was goal bound when it hit Felipe Melo’s head. A gold star to the commenter glib — comment No. 109 — who predicted this Friday afternoon. Well done. AD)  The Dutch took the lead 15 minutes later when Robben drove a corner kick to the near post and Dirk Kuyt flicked it over his head to Sneijder, who was unguarded four yards in front. Sneijder merely redirected the speeding ball into the net.  Brazil fell apart from there. Felipe Melo drew a straight red card in the 73rd minute, and his shorthanded team could muster little more than desperate pleas for fouls and a few missed chances on set plays.  The Netherlands advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 1998, and it will play the winner of Friday’s second game between Uruguay and Ghana. But it will probably have to play that game without the core of its defense. Central defender Joris Mathijsen injured his knee in warmups minutes before the Brazil match and had to be replaced by Andre Ooijer, and right back Gregory van der Wiel and defensive midfielder Nigel de Jong both received their second yellow cards of the tournament in the game. They will be suspended for the semifinal.  The result will also raise the criticism of Brazil’s coach, Dunga, to a fever pitch. He has unbashedly remolded his team from its flashy samba-style roots to a more pragmatic defensive juggernaut focused intently on getting victories. Now that the Brazilians are out, he will no doubt shoulder much of the blame.  Read on to follow the game as it happened.  Dani Alves is near tears on the way off, Lucio rips off the captain’s armband.  The Dutch are smiling, but still a little stunned at what they’ve done here today. They lost their center back in warmups, fell behind after 10 minutes and were being outmuscled and outhustled as Brazil waited and looked for a place to sink in the dagger.  But the own goal seemed to fluster them. And Sneijder’s header brought it all down. Felipe Melo got red-carded, leaving his team an even bigger hill to climb, but the Dutch would not be denied.  Their first win over Brazil since the 1974 World Cup.  They got behind Brazil with two players, but diddled and wasted the chance.  He’s hammering Dani Alves every time he gets the ball.  Van Bommel took it off the forehead in the wall.  Van Bommel pulls him down after a 40-yard run. Free kick from 25 on the right.  Kuyt seemed to be in on goal, but slowed enough for Juan to strip him.  Tick … tick … tick …  Fresh legs up front for the last five minutes. But Huntelaar is good enough to steal one if he gets a chance.  Sneijder feeds van Persie, then takes the ball off his foot in the area. But Julio Cesar stops his shot.  Kaka breaks the other way, slipping Heitinga, and forces a corner. But Stekelenberg, who now seems even taller than before, rises to grab it.  Dunga looking for a spark now; Luis Fabiano was largely invisible this half.  A series of three Brazil free kicks causes some danger and some shaky moments, but no goal. Kuyt cleared one with a last-second header after a Stekelenberg save.  Free kick from 25 for van Persie. And he skies it again, just as he did in the first half.  How about letting Sneijder or Robben take the next one, Robin?  It looked as if they were away for the clincher, but some give and go at the top of the box stalls the move and Julio Cesar cuts it off.  Ooijer kicked the ball away from Kaka after knocking it out for a throw-in. Unneccesary.  Funny moment as the Japanese referee pulls out the red, which must have been on top since he just showed it to Felipe Melo, and then realizes he has raised it shoulder high. He smiles, and goes back for the yellow, and all the Dutch relax.  He’s gone down again to win another free kick.  Robinho stands over him with a wagging finger, berating him.  Straight red for a double kick to Robben’s knee. Can’t argue with it.  He’s been fuming since he was at fault on both Dutch goals. But that’s not the way to help turn things around. It sure won’t make it any easier on his teammates, even if Brazil plays better with 10 than many teams play with all 11.  … into thinking the Brazilians can’t get a goal back. But flopping in the box, as Kaka just did, won’t get it done.  Lofting in corners wasn’t working for the reasons I mentioned, so Robben drove the last one in.  Kuyt met it at the near post and flicked it on straight over his head — to Sneijder. He had walked away from Felipe Melo four yards in front, and just turned it into the net.  Easy as that, the Netherlands are ahead, 2-1.  Brazil can’t believe it, and why should they? They’ve just been beaten in their strongest spot twice in about 15 minutes.  Lucio and Juan are just too tall and too strong in there.  But the Dutch come right back and win another.  He finds himself with the ball at the top of the area, but lifts it gently too far right. So cool, so close.  De Jong grabs Robinho to slow a counter after another giveaway catches them upfield.  Brazil is really lying in wait now. Like a tiger in the high grass, they are just waiting for their moment.  Every forward seems to want to win the game with every touch right now.  One thing: the Dutch will come to regret one of these long cross-field passes soon if they don’t stop with them. The Brazlians are on to them, and they’ve picked off the last two.  Gilberto Melo comes on for Bastos, who got a yellow in the first half and nearly got another about 10 minutes ago. Better safe than sorry, Dunga decides, and pulls him to protect him.  Felipe Melo’s glancing touch costs him the blame for the goal.  Off the free kick won by Robben, Sneijder takes a pass back on the right wing and curls the ball in left-footed. Looked as if Heitinga or Ooijer fooled Julio Cesar by crossing in front. He runs into Felipe Melo, and as they collided the ball went right by — into the net.  That should spice up the last half hour, huh?  Sneijder’s cross goes in off Julio Cesar.  They methodically move the ball upfield, fight off some challenges, but a bad touch and a bit of overanxiousness leave Sneijder with a weak attempt.  They love their set pieces these days, but they haven’t run one right yet.  Van der Wiel gets it. I’d like to have seen more of those the last two weeks.  Back under way. Van Marwijk may have to do something to add a player who can control the ball up front on counterattacks. They just need a little time.  Brazil will take another half just like the first. Dani Alves, playing out of position in midfield, has been their best player.  Unable to stand the idea of other teams’ having their day, the F.A. announced that Fabio Capello will stay on as coach. We’ll assume a few of the players he brought to South Africa will not.  A brutal defensive mistake that handed Brazil’s Robinho the only goal is the only thing separating the teams at halftime. The Dutch have effectively gummed up the midfield, which is in their interests, but they’re half-winning balls — knocking them away for another Brazilian to pick up.  That’s dangerous, and until they take possession and take off with it, they are just risking a secondary attack catching them off guard somewhere. Luis Fabiano has been quiet, but Kaka and Robinho have been a moment away a couple of times.  Robben dribbles a chance away by thinking he could fool the three Brazilians that surrounded him. Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t have done it better (worse?).  Brazil comes back down and Maicon drives a shot into the side netting.  Awful delivery. That may have been the last best chance of the half.  The Dutch clear the header, but not the danger. Corner this time.  He’s been giving as good as the Dutch have been getting.  Now Maicon goes down (easily) and wins a free kick on the right.  If the referee spoke Portuguese, Brazil might be down a man. Robinho, and Maicon, have screamed about every call against them.  But Brazil continues to muscle the Dutch off every free ball, it seems. They’re going in hard and just taking it.  Robben curls in a dangerous ball from the free kick after the card, but the Brazilian center holds again.  He’s been clipping Robben’s heels on the wing since the first minute, and now he will have to stop.  Sneijder’s low driven shot hits Julie Cesar, his Inter teammate, in the chest after whistling through a crowd.  A giveaway by Gilberto lets van Persie send Kuyt in. Gilberto forces a corner bu getting bacck to block the cross, but the Dutch waste it by trying a little trickery — a tiny nudge of the ball leaves it in the corner free, but the Brazilians have seen this move.  Van Persie runs it down behind Juan, but Robben can’t get a shot as Brazil hustles back.  Going the other way, Kaka forces a diving stop from Stekelenberg from the 18.  But he sends it over. The nickel and dime stuff from each team is starting to add up. Another card is coming.  Sneijder looks for Robben up the right, but Julio Cesar gets there first.  The Dutch may need to go over the top; they certainly aren’t havven’t much luck going through, especially with Lucio and Juan in the middle.  Another Dutch foul on the right going the other way yields a free kick.  De Jong dives in to win the ball from Kaka in the box.  The initial corner is cleared, but Brazil recycles and Dani Alves turns and fires the ball to the near post — and Juan shoots over from six yards!! The kind of chance you rue if the day turns out badly.  Shaquille O’Neal would need a belt to wear Julio Cesar’s shorts.  … it looks easier for Robinho. There was no one home in the center for the Dutch.  It was rising the moment he hit it. Hope it’s still in the stadium.  Hardest working man in soccer business Dirk Kuyt steals on the left wing, crosses to the spot. But Brazil knocks it away. A more dangerous free kick coming now for the Netherlands — about 30 yards on the right.  I know he’s Brazilian, but you’re not fooling a world-class goalkeeper with the Jabulani or any ball from a 45-yard free kick straight on.  For a whack on Luis Fabiano. So nine of the Dutch players are now carrying yellows.  Felipe Melo fires a ball right down the center and Robinho runs away from Robben (?!?!), who was the closest defender. Easy ball, slotted right past Stekelenberg. Robinho’s too good to give him those.  Have to think that’s a direct result of the late lineup switch in central defense.  Robinho splits the center of the defense.  Robinho scores a full five seconds after Dani Alves was caught by the offside trap.  The Brazilians haven’t lost in 10 games, since a defeat at Bolivia last fall. The Dutch are unbeaten in 23 straight, since a loss to Australia in Sept. 2008.  The referee has stopped play twice to tamp down some hard feelings and help up downed players.  The Dutch get the ball first. Each team loves possession — they are averaging more than 50 percent in the tournament — so let’s hope they don’t love it so much they won’t surrender it by shooting.  Kuyt lobs into the box for Van Persie, who is shoved down by Juan. But you’re not getting a penalty in the second minute.  The yellow jerseys of Brazil are mixed everywhere with the orange ones of the Netherlands. What a fun crowd that must be.  Joris Mathijsen, who has played every minute of the World Cup in the center of the Dutch defense, hurt himself warming up and will be replaced by Andre Ooijer. Ooijer played in 2006, so he has World Cup experience, but he’ll turn 36 in nine days.  To say this will bear watching is an understatement.  Great note from Scott Murray of the Guardian:  Holland will play in oranje, Brazil will play in blue. The only time they’ve ever lost in a World Cup wearing that kit? That’ll be right: against the Dutch in 1974.  That was one of three meetings in the World Cup. The Dutch won, 2-0, that day in Germany. But Brazil eliminated the Netherlands in their only other meetings: by 3-2 in the quarters in 1994 and on penalties in the semifinals in 1998.  I wrote about the more pragmatic approaches of these teams the other day, but it will be interesting to see if the pressure weighs heavier on one team than the other.  Brazil has a championship history to live up to, and the more defensive style imposed by Dunga will not fare well in comparison with a quarterfinal exit. The players must know that. But the Dutch, as you all know, have never won the World Cup (or much of anything else internationally), so they may feel the collars tighten a little, especially if they fall behind.  Who do you think has more to lose by not winning?  Alexi Lalas of ESPN doubled down and picked the Netherlands to beat Brazil today. As you recall, he picked the Dutch to win it all before the tournament, so they’ve shown remarkable mental fortitude to get this far despite that kind of hex.  These players would all miss the semifinals with another yellow card today:  Brazil (4): Juan, Felipe Melo, Luis Fabiano, Kaka  Netherlands (8): Stekelenberg, Van der Wiel, Van Bronckhorst, De Jong, Kuyt, Van Persie, Sneijder, Robben.  The referee today is Yuichi Nishimura of Japan, who has been considered scrupulously fair in the three games he has worked already in this tournament — Paraguay-New Zealand, Spain-Honduras, Uruguay-France. He has shown only one red so far — in the Uruguay match — but there were few complaints about it.  The fact that he’s worked three games while others have been sent home is a good sign. But the Dutch beat Japan in the first round, so conspiracy theorists will have a field day if something goes wrong for the Netherlands.  Stekelenberg, Van der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst, Van Bommel, De Jong, Kuyt, Sneijder, Robben, Van Persie.  No changes from the Slovakia victory in the Round of 16. And that went quite well, didn’t it?  Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Juan, Michel Bastos, Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo, Dani Alves, Robinho, Kaka, Luis Fabiano.  So Felipe Melo is recovered enough from his ankle injury to start, and Dani Alves — the right back for Barcelona — will return to the midfield. Nice to have those kind of options, even Dunga remains shorthanded there if anything goes wrong. As Jere pointed out, Elano is suspended and Kleberson has a gimpy knee.  This Brazil-Netherlands quarterfinal match in Port Elizabeth has many people hoping that an attractive game will emerge between two teams dedicated to playing flowing soccer. But, of course, Brazil has been routinely criticized for relying more on force than beauty. The latest criticism came from Johan Cruyff, the Dutch legend, who said he wouldn’t buy a ticket to see Brazil play, asking “Where is the Brazilian magic?” Dunga, the Brazilian coach, replied tartly that Cruyff gets in free to all of the World Cup matches.  Of more urgent concern for Brazil is its midfield. Elano, who had two goals and an assist in Brazil’s first two matches, is out with injury. Ramires is suspended with two yellow cards. Look for Dani Alves to start at one midfield spot, as he did against Chile. Felipe Melo may also return from injury. Kaka is sitting on a yellow card, so he has to be careful to avoid being ineligible for the semifinal should Brazil win.  Earlier this week, the Netherlands risked imploding internally, as it frequently has during major competitions. The striker Robin Van Persie complained about being substituted for late in the second-round victory over Slovakia. Lip-reading Dutch journalists said that he told Coach Bert van Marwijk that Wesley Sneijder should have been replaced instead. The two have a history of tensions between them, having argued over who should take a penalty kick in a quarterfinal loss to Russia at the 2008 European championships. Van Marwijk stepped in and called a meeting to clear the air. We’ll see how cohesive the Dutch can be. If they can remain together, they do have a chance to pull off the upset.
Coverage and live analysis of the World Cup quarterfinal between Brazil and the Netherlands from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.