Australia 2-3 Holland:

This, even Louis van Gaal would have to concede, was not a game for sitting on a barstool. It was a game that had you on your feet. That had you wondering if the World Cup that keeps on giving really can get any better. 

The finest players on the planet will certainly do well here in Brazil to better Tim Cahill’s 21st minute strike; an equaliser that goes straight into the greatest volleys in history file alongside men like Marco van Basten, Tony Yeboah, Paolo Di Canio and Robin van Persie. It was Australia’s 10th World Cup goal and a perfect one at that.

But it was more than just the quality of the goals. It was the sheer, unexpected drama of the encounter. The courage and determination of an Australian team, the lowest ranked side in the competition, that dared to dream and dared even to lead the beaten finalists of 2010 and most recent conquerors of Spain.

They did so because the Dutch were complacent, and defensively disorganised. Having beaten Spain 5-1, they clearly thought this was going to be easy. How wrong they were.

Arjen Robben might have opened the scoring but after little more than a minute Cahill had levelled in spectacular style, and deservedly so. Australia had been the better team against their apathetic opponents, maintaining that momentum to the break.

For Van Gaal it was proving most uncomfortable. More even than he imagined when he complained that a restricted view meant he might have to stand, or perhaps bring a barstool, to see from the sunken dug-outs. It seemed he did get the television cameraman moved, having also moaned about that.

But the Australians were giving him a much bigger problem, so much so that Van Gaal abandoned the 3-5-2 formation he had employed for this tournament and switched to a back four. In fairness to Manchester United’s next manager, he had said a back four might work better against these opponents.

It proved a smart move, even if his side first had to overcome an Australia penalty before Robin van Persie struck an equaliser and Memphis Depay produced a slightly fortuitous winner. 

After that thumping victory against Spain Van Gaal stuck with the same side, no doubt in the hope of being able to rest players in their final group game.

Australia made just two changes, bringing in Ryan McGowan and Matt McKay. But they employed the same determined approach they demonstrated against Chile. Even though they lost that game, their effort could not be faulted.

Indeed here they actually displayed more energy than the Dutch in the opening exchanges. Van Gaal’s side were a little sluggish and disjointed. Perhaps even a touch complacent.

But a goal for the Dutch nevertheless came, and far too easily for Australia’s liking. It was classic Robben, from the manner in which he escaped the clutches of Alex Wilkinson to the way he then accelerated away before driving a low, left-foot shot past Matthew Ryan. But it was the failure to close him down, in particular by Matthew Spiranovic, that would have disappointed Ange Postecoglou............

Source : Dailymail