The World Cup will come to an end this weekend, and the festivities begin on Saturday as the hosts from Brazil take on the Netherlands. Brazil will try to put the memory of what happened to them against Germany out of their mind, while Holland didn’t look interested at all against Argentina, which makes for an intriguing affair on Saturday.
World Cup Odds: Brazil +110, the Netherlands +230, Draw +275
Odds To Win Third Place: Brazil -160, Netherlands +135
Why Brazil Can Win
Brazil has to play with pride, because it was always going to be win or bust for this team as the hosts. However, that is all they have left after getting destroyed 7-1 by Germany in the worst loss in the history of this program and now they are trying to pick up the pieces. Captain Thiago Silva will be at the back after missing the Germany game through suspension, and that should help some of the issues they had. Oscar did score against the Germans, but he looked largely out of sorts in Neymar’s free role, and he should play better.
This game means much more to Brazil than it does to the Netherlands. To say they were embarrassed is an understatement and a win on Saturday wouldn’t solve things, but it would help.
Why the Netherlands Can Win
We have seen the Netherlands at their best, and they have been devastating and if they had played to that level against Argentina, we would be looking at a different final. The Netherlands we saw against Spain and Australia, or even Costa Rica, attacked their opponents with vigor and while there were spurts against Argentina, it wasn’t consistent. Arjen Robben had runs here and there, while Wesley Sneijder tried to get into the game, but Robin van Persie didn’t do much and was subbed. Holland just looked like they couldn’t be bothered.
Manager Louis van Gaal has come out and said that teams shouldn’t have to play for third place at the World Cup, because there is no point. Will he have this team ready to go on Saturday? This team has taken on much of their identity from van Gaal, who will leave to manage Manchester United after the tournament. Has he checked out already, and if he has, will his player follow suit? The Dutch have done this before.
Outlook
This will be the ninth meeting between these two powerhouses, with five matches ending in a draw, and both have won two games each. They have also met four times in the World Cup, and they have split those four matches as well. Brazil has to treat this match as their final after what happened in the semifinals, and they can’t get run out of the stadium as they did against Germany. The Netherlands have the talent to do this, but you have to wonder if they even care anymore and they could be still thinking about Argentina. This will be a good win for the hosts.
Pick: Brazil
