Manager: Oscar Tabarez
Captain: Diego Lugano

Continent: South America
Nicknames: La Celeste
Group: A

World Cup appearances: 10
Best World Cup: Winners; 1930 & 1950
FIFA World Ranking: 18

Uruguay Team Profile

The two time winners of the World Cup, albeit their last crown coming 60 years ago, will be gunning for the hat-trick in South Africa, although they will need to defy the odds. Uruguay haven’t been given much hope by the bookies, perhaps because they weren’t entirely convincing during qualifying after needing a play-off with Costa Rica to finally seal their tickets to Africa. However, the Uruguayans are a dangerous nation as they boast some serious quality in their ranks, and Oscar Tabarez does have an outside chance of guiding Uruguay to a successful World Cup – which would be qualifying for the last sixteen of the competition.

Uruguay had many admirers back when they won the World Cup, twice, as they are one of the smallest nations competing in this summers showcase event and are officially the smallest nation ever to win a World Cup, with an estimated 4Million population. However, all you need for a successful team is one or two decent individuals and Uruguay have that heading into South Africa. However, this will be just their second World Cup in 20 years and there are doubts about whether the players, who won’t be used to the hype and expectations set back home, can handle the spotlight and pressure. They are a nation who have, however, qualified 10 times for a World Cup and have been very consistent in tournaments back in the continent of South America.

Uruguay Key Players

Luis Suarez

I’ve long admired the Ajax forward as he is a quality forward and one that will demand a lot of cash in due course. Suarez has become Forlan’s ample striking parter for Uruguay and the pair have formed a budding relationship up front for their country, with the pair scoring 12 goals between them during qualifying, with Suarez bagging five of them. However, it is Suarez who heads into South Africa in the form of his life as he’s been banging in the goals in Holland for fun, scoring a colossal 22 league goals in 21 league appearances. He has been at the forefront of Ajax’s charge for a craved title, with his deadly finishing and self-made ability to create his own goals why he’s been such a success back in Holland. However, the Dutch league has fallen down the ranks in recent years and it will be interesting to see if Suarez can replicate his club form in South Africa.

Diego Forlan

The Athletico Madrid forward has been an instant hit in Spain and has won the Golden boot award twice while at Madrid, the first coming in 2005 while the second came last season after he scored 33 goals in 32 games for his club. Many of you will remember Forlan from his days at Manchester United where he was often touted as a flop for his dry spells in front of goals. However, he has been a sensation in Spain and has been just as prolific for his country, scoring 22 goals in 60 caps. He is a proper forward in that he has this selfish manner to him but he backs it up with plenty of goals. He is a typical predator in and around the goal, while he also knows how to finish under pressure. Forlan will be a danger, a nuisance if you like, for any defence in Africa.

Strengths

Their best quality would have to be their attacking play, especially as it’s spearheaded by two of Europe’s best strikers in Diego Forlan & Luis Suarez, the latter one of the upcoming stars and a future hit. When Uruguay do get forward, they cause opposing defences all sort of problems as their deadly striking duet know how to exploit gaps in defence and put themselves into scoring positions. They also have players which can strike a ball from anywhere and this Uruguay side does have goals in them.

Weaknesses

Uruguay are a confidence side and if they don’t make a bright start in South African then doubts will start to creep in. They are also very inconsistent and don’t exactly excel away from home. They were also beaten by both Brazil & Argentina twice during qualifying, meaning their credentials when they do come up against the elite nations aren’t flattering as they have proven to be bottlers in the crunch games. A perfect example of this was in Uruguay’s last qualifier when all they needed was a draw to qualify for the finals. Of course, despite Argentina enduring one of their worst spells in it’s prestigious history, Uruguay lost the encounter 1-0, on home soil, and their performance on the night shown everyone that Uruguay still lack the nerve and steel to come up good in the big games.

Uruguay Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: South America
Position: 5th
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-6-6
Goals Scored: 28
Goals Conceded: 20

Uruguay has a largely inconsistent campaign in which one minute they appeared to have slid claims for qualifying only to then ruin their chances. They did bottle their final qualifier in which they would have qualified via a fourth place finish had they of avoided defeat to Argentina. However, their fate was instead left to a two-legged play-off with Costa Rica from North America. Uruguay did, only just mind, beat Costa Rica over two legs after winning the away leg 1-0 before a nervy encounter in Uruguay, drawing 1-1.

World Cup Potential: 3/5

Uruguay have more than quality in their squad to spring a surprise and we feel their huge price tag makes them a more than worthy outside bet. The likes of Diego Forlan & Luis Suarez will be key in their chances to land a surprise World Cup but they’ve proven only recently that the big games just aren’t for them and we could quite easily see Uruguay make an earlier exit than we want nor expected. Still, the potential is there for a few big displays and they will be a dangerous opponent for everyone.

Uruguay World Cup Betting Odds

Uruguay to win the World Cup (Outright): 12/1 Bet365

Before the World Cup the odds on Uruguay were 100/1 

Official Uruguay World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Fernando Muslera (Lazio Roma)

Juan-Guillermo Castillo (Deportivo Cali)

Martin Silva (Defensor Sporting)

Defenders

Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce)

Diego Godin (Villarreal)

Andres Scotti (Colo Colo)

Jorge Fucile (Porto)

Martin Caceres (Juventus)

Mauricio Victorino (Universidad de Chile)

Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica)

Midfielders

Walter Gargano (Napoli)

Egidio Arevalo-Rios (Penarol)

Sebastian Eguren (AIK Stockholm)

Diego Perez (Monaco)

Alvaro Pereira (Porto)

Alvaro Fernandez (Universidad de Chile)

Ignacio Gonzalez (Valencia)

Nicolas Lodeiro (Ajax)

Strikers

Sebastian Fernandez (Banfield)

Luis Suarez (Ajax)

Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)

Sebastian Abreu (Botafogo)

Edinson Cavani (Palermo)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Uruguay Fixtures – Group A

26/06 – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: Uruguay – South Korea: 2-1

02/07 – 19.30 – Quarter Finals: Uruguay – Ghana: 4-2 on penalties (1-1)

06/07 – 19.30 – Semi Finals: Urugay – Holland

World Cup 2010 Group A - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

2010 FIFA World Cup Winner:- Spain

Us punters needed not turning up in fairness as Spain, the ante-post favourites to land their first World Cup crown, clinched the 2010 FIFA World Cup and justified why so many, although us not included, fancied their chances before the tournament kicked off at Soccer City on June 11th. Many believed the best team won of which I’m not of the same opinion as I felt every single one of their games were dull and boring, while their slow build up play had us switching over to watch Eastenders at times. However, while we were never a fan of the Spanish, they way in which they manoeuvred the ball was remarkable and their tactic of retaining the ball at all costs was very effective, so credit were credit is due especially as they had to defy an early setback when losing 1-0 to Switzerland in their opening game of the tournament.

Our Team of the Tournament:- Germany

We don’t think there’s even room for debate as the Germans were scintillating from the word ‘go’. They began with a four goal romp of Australia but little did they or anyone else know that they would later go on to match their four goal feat against both England and Argentina in two games Germany were never favourites in. Joachim Low’s mixture of experience and youthful exuberance almost brought home their fourth World Cup title only to be denied by the ball-hogging Spaniards. They did, though, still have enough in reserve to slam another three goals past Uruguay en route to securing another third place finish, their second in succession, taking their scoring tally for the tournament to 16, four more than their closest pursuer Holland (12).

It’s difficult to pinpoint any one stand out player as the Germans played magnificently throughout the tournament as a team, which is a lot more than I could say for some. Manuel Neuer was a huge presence in the German goal and had Germany not be denied a place in the final, probably would have taken home the Yashin Award for best Goalkeeper. A normally fragile and suspect German defence had conceded just twice before losing to Spain in the semi-final, with full-back Phillip Lahm filling in admirably for the injured Michael Ballack as captain and certainly led by example. It was, however, the quartet of Bastien Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muellar and Lukas Podolski which fired Germany into the last-four and, somewhat ironically, into the hearts of many neutrals. Schweinsteiger has the tournament of his life in the centre of the park, marshalling that midfield like a pro as he continuously supplied Podolski and Mueller out on the wings. Podolski’s vigorous work rate out on the left was commendable and he remained a threat whenever Germany went forward, but it was two of their youngest players who had the biggest impact in Ozil and Mueller. Ozil was a constant nuisance for every opponent, swivelling in and out of tight spots while some of his through balls were sublime. The same could be said for Mueller, who despite being just 20 years-old. Shown absolutely no fear as he continued to bombed forward and aid the German attack.

It says all you need to know that when FIFA selected ten nominees for the 2010 FIFA Golden Ball, two were German while Thomas Mueller collected the Best Young Player award for his efforts.

Our Player of the Tournament:- Diego Forlan

Another ‘without a shadow of a doubt’ scenario, as Diego Forlan was rewarded for his industry during the finals with the 2010 FIFA Golden Ball. Despite playing in an unfamiliar role just behind the strikers, Forlan still managed to stand out amongst the crowd and almost single handily steered Uruguay in the last-four. His five goals in seven games so nearly earned him the FIFA Golden Boot as well only to finish fourth by virtue of pouring his heart and soul into Uruguay’s cause, as he played more minutes than anyone else in contention and so had a worse goals per minute ratio. He wasn’t just about goals though, as his ability to encourage Uruguay to burst forward and attack, as well as ding the majority of the forward construction work, was a joy to behold at times and his efforts through the tournament endeared him to the majority watching. I defy anyone to claim another played deserved the Golden Ball more than Diego Forlan.

Biggest Flop:- England

You could argue France or Italy should be considering those two contested the 2006 final, but England got the nod simply because they were a far shorter price before the tournament and were so abysmal in the finals throughout their short stay. From Game 1 right through to a humiliating Game 4, where they were embarrassed by Germany in a 4-1 hammering, England were well below par and at times appealing to watch. The hype beforehand was incredible, with the entire nation expecting a colossal effort from Capello’s men after the ease at which they qualified for the finals. Quite simply, the big names didn’t turn up. Frank Lampard, John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, all household names and all paid top dollar, were dreadful. Whether they didn’t acclimatise fast enough we don’t know, but we put it down to there being too many ego’s in one camp. Whatever the case, England were a huge disappointment and certainly didn’t match up to their pre-tournament billing of being third favourites to win the competition.

Goal of the Tournament:- Giovanni Van Bronckhorst versus Uruguay (Semi-Final)

Up till the semi-final’s, we were a big admirer of Carlos Tevez’s stunner against Mexico – A thunderbolt from 25 yards which beat Mexico keeper Oscar Perez all ends up. We didn’t think that would be beaten by Van Bronckhorst, who played his last professional games at these finals, stepped up and scored one of the most outrageous goals in World Cup history. From what must have been a good 35 yards out, Van Bronckhorst sprinted down the left flank and leathered the ball straight across the face of Muslera’s goal, smashing the right-hand post before nestling into the goal. Absolute stunner!

Game of the Tournament:- Italy V Slovakia

In a tournament where exciting games were few and far between, this match between Italy and Slovakia stood out amongst every single one of them. It was a match Italy needed only a draw to progress from Group F but only a win would have done for Slovakia, who began the day bottom of the group. Few gave Slovakia any chance of making the impossible possible but when Robert Vittek prodded home from close range, the non-believers were quickly beginning to turn. Just when the game appeared to be dwindling out into a narrow Slovakia win, the game exploded into life when the Slovak’s doubled their lead through Vittek again. However, if anyone through the Italians were dead and buried for one moment they were about to be given a dose of true grit and determination, as Antonio Di Natale reduced the deficit on 81 minutes only to have a potential leveller ruled out for offsides minutes later, with Quagriarella adjudged to be in an offside position by English officials. If the Italians felt hard done by then they were fuming at the next piece of action, substitute Kopunek running onto an Italian throw-in before lifting the ball over a despairing Marchetti. Slovekia looked home and hosed at that point, boasting a two goal lead with just injury time left to play, but when Fabio Quagriarella cutely chipped the ball over Slovakia keeper Mucha in the second minute of injury time, doubts were beginning to surface. Great champions now how to defy adversity and with the last kick of the game, Pepe was the man who will forever be remember for spurring a glorious opportunity which would have seen Italy through and saved their bacon. His loss was Slovakia gain though as the Slovak’s celebrated group progression for the first time in their history only to be knocked out in the next round by Holland.

Funniest Moment: Gabriel Heinze

Known for his dirty on-pitch tactics and even uglier spells of diving, we all had a jolly good laugh when one cameraman went in for a closer look following a goal scored by Carlos Tevez against Mexico only for Heinze to look up and walk straight into the camera, with the Argentine falling back as though he’d been hit by Mike Tyson. Heinze’s reaction was of disgust and quickly thumped the camera for daring to get anywhere near such a hideous face. Cracking stuff.

In terms of actual football, you can’t go far wrong with Yakubu’s open goal miss from two yards out against South Korea in a game which had he scored probably would have seen Nigeria qualifying from the group. No-one knows how he missed, not even Yakubu.

Granted the football at times wasn’t the best, while it did take a while to get going, but it was an enjoyable tournament even though in probability it will not be held in high regard as like previous World Cup’s. Even so, the South Africa atmosphere was something to saviour, even if the Vuvuzela’s weren’t, and we did at least see a new champions crowned king of the world, with Spain becoming the eighth individual winners of the FIFA World Cup. I’ll see you again in four years time

Germany ensured that all of the summer’s major honours went the way of European sides, as a 3-2 win over South Americans Uruguay cemented their place in the finals top three and thus landing them third-place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup behind Holland & Spain.

In what proved to be a pulsating affair in this last intercontinental of what has been an absorbing FIFA World Cup in South Africa, a five-goal thriller ensued but it was the Germans who clinched their fourth third-place finish with a 3-2 win. The Germans made the brighter start to proceedings when Thomas Muller took his summer tally to five goal, thus taking him level with David Villa and Wesley Sneijder and well in with a short of claiming a share of the Golden Shoe, when he was the quickest to react after a fizzing effort from Schweinsteiger wasn’t tamed by Uruguay’s Muslera in goal, with Muller left with the easiest of tasks of sliding home into an unguarded goal. But, however, the South Americans once again displayed the sort of resilience which had earlier seen them reach the semi-finals only to lose to Holland when they grabbed one back to level the scoring at one a piece through Edinson Cavani.

Both sides went into the break with one strike each but it was Uruguay, the underdogs, who came out of the blocks faster in the second period. With just six minutes of the second half on the clock, Diego Forlan, one of the stars of these South African finals, sent Uruguay into the lead for the first time in the game with a sublime volley which had Germany shot-stopper Butt beaten all ends up. It was a goal of real quality and one that took Forlan also to five goal, equalling the earlier feat of Thomas Muller, scorer of Germany’s first goal. However, six was quickly becoming a familiar number in this lively second half as just six minutes later, Marcell Jansen drew Germany level with a header. Muslera was once again at fault as he rushed out of his goal only to get nowhere near the ball, leaving Jansen with the goal at his mercy.

The remainder of the game was enthralling, with both sides going all out for the win. The pair of them were throwing men forward to attack regardless of what the penalty for their enthusiasm may be. It was, though, the Germans who had the final say in this third-place play-off to remember, as Sami Khedira headed home following a scramble in the Uruguay penalty area in the 82nd minute. Uruguay did push for an equaliser and despite the best efforts of Forlan, who with the last kick of the game seen his free-kick thunder off the woodwork, Uruguay were once again a goal short as Germany reigned supreme in Cape Town.

It means Germany claim third place and now have every chance of ending these finals as the tournament’s top scorers with 16 goals in seven games. Thomas Muller and Diego Forlan were also winners, as the pairs goals means they have an outside chance of claiming a share of the Golden Shoe so long as Wesley Sneijder and David Villa fail to score in tomorrow’s final.

Golden Shoe Betting:

David Villa – 5/6 Boylesports
Wesley Sneijder - 12/5 SkyBet
Diego Forlan – 7/1 WilliamHill
Thomas Muller – 7/1 WilliamHill

At one stage, David Villa went as short as 1.55 on betfair to be the leading goalscorer at the World Cup, although his failure to score against Germany means that the Barcelona new boy is level on goals with Wesley Sneijder ahead of the final in Johannesburg.

Two weeks before the tournament, Blue Square were offering a generous 9/1 about Villa following his high-scoring success in Euro 2008 by landing the spoils in 2010. They also had each-way terms of ¼ first 5 places, although Spain’s opening game defeat against Switzerland saw their star striker matched at odds of around 20/1 on betfair.

Going into this final weekend of the World Cup, Villa is still favourite (10/11 bet365), although he has plenty of competition for the much-coveted award which is often won by a player who isn’t part of the victorious team.

Sneijder was an amazing 100/1 with Ladbrokes before the action got under way, although the Dutchman had done brilliantly with Inter last season and has played in an advanced position for most of the competition. After the group stages, the midfielder has only scored one goal and that saw odds of over 400/1 being matched on betfair, especially as his team looked like going out against Brazil.

However, FIFA’s decision to award Sneijder both goals against the Selecao saw the bookmakers cutting the odds on the Netherlands player winning the Golden Shoe. He’s now into 3/1 with Ladbrokes and if he remains tied for a share of the lead with Villa, then the bookmakers will pay out half your stake at 3/1 so you would still make a profit.

Nevertheless, the pair have Miroslav Klose breathing down their necks and the Germany striker needs no extra motivation when he takes to the field at Port Elizabeth on Saturday night. The Bayern Munich player needs one more goal to equal Ronaldo’s all-time World Cup goal record and two more to re-write history! While the World Cup final is likely to be low-scoring, the same cannot be said of the 3rd-place play-off if recent history is anything to go by.

Klose is 11/2 (Victor Chandler) to win the Golden Shoe four years after winning the prize during the 2006 World Cup and there are two more reasons for thinking this bet could yield a profit. Firstly, as this match is a ‘friendly’, he might expect team-mates to supply him with more ammunition (including any penalties that are awarded to Germany). Secondly, Uruguay conceded three goals to the Netherlands in the semi-final and looked pretty jaded towards the end of the game.

With Thomas Muller back from suspension, Klose can reward those punters that backed him at 33/1 before the World Cup kicked off, although the former has an outside chance (14/1 Victor Chandler) of landing the prize himself. The youngster also has four goals to his name and will be fresh from sitting out Wednesday’s match.

Diego Forlan is the final name in the mix, as he has been ever since that brace against South Africa during the group stages. Victor Chandler offer 16/1 that the Uruguayan walks off with the Golden Shoe, although he claimed after the Netherlands semi-final that he wasn’t 100% fit and manager Oscar Tabarez might use the occasion to use some fresh legs.

Uruguay v Holland Betting Odds

Holland to win: 7/10 at Paddy Power
Draw: 13/5 at SkyBet
Uruguay to win: 11/2 at Bet365

World Cup Semi Final
Date: Tuesday, July 6th
Kick Off: 19.30 GMT

Uruguay

Despite having four teams in the Quarter Finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South America have only one representative left, as the remaining Europeans took charge of the competition. Uruguay saw the favoured Brazilians and Argentineans fall by the way side, as they themselves battled through to the semi finals in a tight match against Ghana. Uruguay had the unenviable task of taking on Ghana in the Quarter Finals, who were the last remaining team from Africa. That meant supporters from South America were heavily outnumbered on the African continent, but they were the ones who smiling at the end, after seeing their team win through on penalties. Uruguay have been commended throughout the tournament for their strong defensive play, but they largely had the upper hand in all aspects of their contest against Ghana, who lacked a little punch up front. But it was Ghana who struck first, with a long range effort from midfielder Muntari, who caught Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera off guard. It took a great free kick from striker Diego Forlan to draw Uruguay level, but all of the controversy game at the end of extra time, when fellow striker Luis Suarez cleared a shot off his own goal line with his hands. He saw red and Ghana star striker Asamoah Gyan had the chance to put his side into the semi finals, the first time an African nation had been there, from the penalty spot. Gyan hit the bar, and the game went to a shoot-out, which the South Americans won 4-2.

Uruguay have played well throughout the tournament, even if they have not been one of the most exciting teams to watch. They have a superb resilience and team work about them, which is the underlying root of all of their success. They have scored crucial goals when they needed to, and have defended for long periods of game, being quite comfortable in their role of being a defensive team. But they are a side which show a lot of quality when they have time on the ball, with Diego Forlan being at the heart of most of it. While known for his striking prowess across Europe, the number has more tricks up his sleeve than just putting the ball in net. You can watch and admire how he finds space, delivers dead balls with accuracy as well as picking out creative passes. Uruguay are just as comfortable on the ball as any other South American team, but because they have not go the out and out quality as Brazil or Argentina, they work to tactics which work for them. That is being conservative and by giving very little away, it means that they do not have to chase games too hard. Uruguay’s defence works from the front to the back, and the forwards press quite hard to stop the ball getting forward in the first place. The scrapping and quality tackling is a strength of the Uruguayans, especially in midfield, where there are three core players who keep compact. With the two wide forwards dropping back to held in midfield, there is a tough sky blue wall for opponents to get through.

But the South Americans naturally have very good quality up front as well, particularly in the link between Forlan and Suarez. Now however, after his indiscretion in the Quarter Final, Uruguay will have to do without Luis Suarez as they take on Holland in the semi finals. This is quite a big blow for Uruguay, as Suarez is quite the prolific scorer. But, because they generally set up with three players up top, they may be able to cope. Uruguay do put out three forwards, with Forlan linking up between attacking midfielder and extra forward. It is a system which offers a lot of defensive benefits, as well as having the power in position to attack on the counter attack. Uruguay will go into their semi final match as underdogs against Holland, as the Dutch have been riding high on a long run of unbeaten games. But Uruguay can take confidence into the match, simply because of their defence, and knowing that the Netherlands have not looked particularly great through the tournament. Holland v Uruguay will see the South Americans thinking that this as a chance to bring down one of Europe’s elite, by playing a tight, compact game as they always do. Uruguay are a great World Cup Betting tip to grind down, dent the confidence of, and beat Holland.

Uruguay are not a prolific team going forward though, but that does not mean that they do not have goals in them. They are a huge threat from set pieces, and when hitting teams on the break. Holland’s style will suit Uruguay to some extents, as the South Americans will be facing a patient team which like to knock the ball around and look for beautiful goals. Uruguay will be pretty confident that they can negate the threats from Holland, simply by keeping things tight in the middle of the park, and cutting off the supply line to the forwards. They will have to deal with opponents who like to throw a bit more width into their game than any of their opponents have done so far, but with Suarez having to be absent, it may allow for an extra out and out midfielder to spread out and clog up the midfield, leaving just two strikers up top. There is not a harder working team left in the tournament, and the Uruguay strikers always drop back as much as possible anyway, so they always seem to have extra midfielders on the pitch.

Uruguay Team News: Midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro is injured. Captain and defender Diego Lugano is a doubt. Jorge Lugano and Luis Suarez, suspended.

Holland

Holland have not been playing anywhere near their potential of Total Football, the style associated with the Dutch. While they have gone nearly thirty matches now without losing, there appears to be something lacking in their game, an edge that is not quite sharp enough which may see them fail in the Holland v Uruguay semi final. That seems an odd thing to say about a team which just went out and beat Brazil 2-1 in the Quarter Finals. Holland found themselves behind early on in the match after the Brazillian attack were cutting through them like a hot knife through butter. To their credit, they got themselves back into the match with a piece of luck from a cross from key man Wesley Sneijder, which eluded everyone including Julio Cesar in the Brazilian goal. Holland went on to win the match, largely helped by the South Americans completely losing their cool and capitulating, with Brazil’s Felipe Melo being shown the red card. It was a feisty, tetchy match, in which the Netherland were guilty of showing unsportsmanlike conduct, with winger Arjen Robben in particular spending a lot of time on the ground in drawing fouls. He was lucky to still be on the pitch for simulation, as the Dutch players milked all they could in playing up to the referee and agitating the Brazilians.

Holland have not displayed as much firepower as they were expected to have, and while going behind against Brazil was the first time that they have had their backs against the wall, they have not been overly convincing in proving that they have enough to win the World Cup. However, luck does play a huge part in football, and the Dutch are now just two victories away from winning the greatest prize in the game. South Americans Uruguay stand in their way now and it will be tough test for the Dutch, who will need to show a little more passion than they have done. They are on the brink of something good, and perhaps they are saving their best for last, and their best will be needed to break down the resilient Uruguayans. There were rumours of fractions in the Dutch camp after Robin Van Persie was moaning about being substituted in match. He had a very poor afternoon against Brazil, and him not being on song will not help the Dutch cause any. The key man for Holland is Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder, who floats around linking up the midfield and attack. It was his two goals which caused the downfall of Brazil, and Uruguay simply have to find a way to keep him quite. They do that, and they will be giving themselves a huge boost.

At the back Holland lost their main centre half Joris Mathijsen just before kick off, and the aging legs of Andre Ooijer had to step in. The Dutch were not, in any way shape or form convincing against Brazil at the back, and Uruguay will fancy their chances there, especially from dead ball situations. The best way for Uruguay to get through Holland will be going down the middle of the park, where the South Americans will be able to out work, out battle and out tackle the European side. There is not a great deal of toughness in the middle for Holland, with Mark Van Bommel being the main man who holds things together. Quite how he was on the pitch at the end of the match against Brazil is quite a mystery, as he was guilty of some very blatant fouls. He was quite reckless, and if the craft and speed of Forlan can get the better of him, then the South Americans will be in with quite a good chance of winning this one. For Holland, this will now represent their best opportunity to win the World Cup in their history. They will believe that they are facing the weakest team left in the competition, and their place in the final should be already booked. This is something else which could work against their favour, underestimating the technical capabilities of the Uruguayans. Holland need to show a lot more conviction, and a lot more creativity than they have done in the tournament so far, in order to break down Uruguay. They have the talent, but do they have the team to rise again and get the job done without being over complacent?

Netherlands Team News: Gergory Van Der Wiel, Nigel De Jong (suspended). Robin Van Persie, Joris Mathijsen (injury doubts).

Holland v Uruguay World Cup Betting Prediction: Uruguay could again edge this one, adding another upset to the list of unexpected results for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Uruguay +0.75 Asian Handicap for 41/40 at Bet365
 

Uruguay V Holland

Tuesday, 6th July – 19:30 (GMT)
FIFA World Cup, Semi-Final

Pre-tournament, Holland blew Ghana, who finished as a losing quarter-finalist, and Hungary, a team which pushed both Denmark and Portugal close in qualifying, completely out of the water with 4-1 and 6-1 victories respectively. Bert Van Marwijk’s men demonstrated their forward potential in those two pre-World Cup friendlies and it made the rest of the footballing world stand up and take notice that the Dutch were once again in town to cause havoc in front of goal. With five games down; Group E, Round of 16 and the quarter-final all conquered, Holland have only managed eight goals and it’s a far cry from the form shown in the weeks leading up to the finals. Granted they’ve played against stiffer opposition, but from a punter’s point of view it’s restricted the amount of goalscorer success so far in these finals, with Holland yet to even surpass the two goal marker.

Holland’s leading scorer so far in South Africa isn’t necessarily a player you would have hand-picked beforehand, although he’s exceptionally talented at what he does nonetheless. Wesley Sneijder (7/1 Bet365), a treble winner with Inter Milan, leads the way for Holland with four goals and has a three goal cushion over the remaining Dutch scorers of Dirk Kuyt (8/1 PaddyPower), Robin Van Persie (5/1 Coral), Arjen Robben (6/1 Ladbrokes) and Klass-Jan Huntelaar. It was Sneijder’s two goals against Brazil in the previous round which produced the biggest shock of these finals thus far, and anyone who can locate the back of Brazil’s goal twice in a single game is rightly considered a prime contender to score in the next encounter, which just so happens to be against lesser opposition in Uruguay.

BUT, we still don’t rate his chances of opening the scoring tomorrow. His brace against the Brazilians was a mixture of being in the right place at the right time and somehow scabbing a goal which should have never of been his – with FIFA awarding Sneijder with Holland’s first goal despite the ball clearly coming off Felipe Melo as the ball somehow found its way to the back of the net. Moreover, Snejder is an architect at heart, footballing wise, at his primary concern on Tuesday will be to create chances, whether that be for Van Persie or the onrushing wingers; Robben and Kuyt. Of course, the Inter Milan play-maker has never been afraid to have a pop from distance, while he does take the odd set-piece here and there.

Robin Van Persie should be the first name to spring to mind but his miserable displays so far mean he is of little value, especially at odds of around 5/1. He does take some of their free-kicks, and with that gifted left-foot of his anything can happen. Instead, however, the wide players of Dirk Kuyt and Arjen Robben boast more punting appeal.

Fans and followers of the Premiership will know all about Dirk Kuyt‘s antics inside the oppositions penalty area, always ready and waiting to sniff out a chance and is so often the player at which the ball somehow lands at his feet with the goal gaping. He’s also a master at pouncing on rebounds, and in a team where a number of players look to shoot from distance, he’ll fancy his chances of poking one home from close range.

Arjen Robben needs little introduction. He was superb for his club Bayern Munich last season when scoring 23 goals from a wide position, while it hasn’t taken him long to make an impact for Holland in South Africa despite playing just two and a bit games. Almost his first touch of the ball in these finals was a blistering shot from just outside the box against Cameroon, to which his effort smashed off the woodwork and into the path of Huntelaar, who scored his first of the tournament. He opened the scoring against Slovakia with a trademark Arjen Robben goal. Because he plays on the right, being primarily left-footed, it enables Robben to cut inside and have a strike at goal on his favoured foot. Against Slovakia, Robben found the bottom right-hand corner of the goal with deadly perfection. He wasn’t as effective against Brazil but he did play a part in getting Felipe Melo sent off, as well as winding everyone up with his persistent diving.

There’s little chance of anyone else scoring for Holland, although Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (50/1 Coral) has been known to take strides forward before unleashing a whizzing effort from distance. In 104 caps though, the Holland skipper has scored just five times.

For Uruguay, it’s difficult to see past Diego Forlan (17/2 Bet365) scoring now that Luis Suarez (3 Goals) is suspended. Edinson Cavani (14/1 Bet365) will no doubt lead the line once again but he hasn’t looked like scoring in any of their games so far, but Cavani could have a new striking partner in Sebastian Abreu (12/1 Bet365) were Oscar Tabarez to opt for the same formation which has served Uruguay well in these finals up till now, with Forlan playing just off the two strikers. Abreu shown us he was a cool customer when calmly and coolly sticking away the winning spot-kick against Ghana in the previous round, so could be a decent bet what with having an abundance of composure. He doesn’t have a too bad record for his country either, accumulating a total of 26 goals in 58 senior appearances. Boasting a better ratio than Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan, whilst it puts Cavani’s 2 goals in 17 internationals well and truly in the shade.

If you’re looking for some outside value then why not take a chance on Diego Lugano (33/1 Ladbrokes). The Uruguay captain has a 10% strike rate while on international duty ( 4 Goals in 47 Caps) and is one of those players who isn’t afraid to stick his head in where it hurts. He will be a threat from set-plays throughout and appears the only piece of value outside of the forward trio.

Goalscorer Tips:

Dirk Kuyt First Goalscorer – 8/1 PaddyPower
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Value Punt) – 50/1 Coral

Sebastian Abreu First Goalscorer – 12/1 Bet365
Diego Lugano (Value Punt) – 33/1 Ladbrokes

PaddyPower ‘Bore-Draw’ Promotion: If this game finishes 0-0, our Irish friends will refund all losing First Goalscorer bets, as well as losing Correct Score, Last Goalscorer and Scorecast bets.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that a player will score more goals during a football tournament if he plays more games. Therefore, it’s little surprise that only five men can win the 2010 World Cup Golden Shoe and that the quintet are all playing for teams left in the competition.

It’s been a highly competitive betting market this summer which saw Gonzalo Higuain installed as early favourite after a hat-trick against South Korea took the Argentina striker well clear of the chasing pack. However, the Real Madrid forward was only able to add one more goal to his tally and was leapfrogged by a Spanish striker in the form of his life on Saturday night.

David Villa has been nothing short of phenomenal in South Africa, with the Barcelona forward scoring in every match since that opening game defeat against Switzerland. His late winner against Paraguay has taken him a goal clear at the top of the scoring charts and he may not need to find the net again to add a world award to the European one that was landed two years ago. The 28-year-old is no bigger than 7/10 on betfair, with the fixed-odds firms no bigger than 8/15 (Sporting Bet).

Perhaps Villa will struggle to get any change out of Philipp Lahm, the German right-back and captain who is one of the best in the business. The Bayern Munich player will be looking to also get forward and support his club team-mate Miroslav Klose, who seems to turn from Clark Kent to Superman when he dons the international colours. Four years ago, the Munchen forward won the Golden Shoe and he’s 4/1 (Paddy Power) to repeat this achievement. If you back him at 4/1 and he dead heats with one other player, you will get half your stake paid at odds of 2/1.

Meanwhile Wesley Sneijder is right in the thick of things after FIFA made the odd decision to award Holland’s opening goal against Brazil to the Inter midfielder. Although the ball took a clear deflection off the head of Felipe Melo, the football body’s Technical Study Group has decided that the Netherlands’ number ten is worthy of the goal and that means he’s on four for the tournament with Uruguay lying in wait. Totesport offer a stand-out 12/1 that he finishes top of the pile and it’s possible that his team will fill their boots against the south Americans.

The final player in contention  is Diego Forlan, who stands on three goals after firing a brace home against South Africa and then managing an equaliser against Ghana on Friday night. The Atletico Madrid striker has been crucial to the team’s progress at this World Cup, although it’s asking a lot for him to manage a brace against the Netherlands, especially with strike partner Luis Suarez missing suspended. Ladbrokes offer 25/1 that the former Manchester United forward gets the goals he needs.

Betting Guide to Uruguay

The last time that Uruguay were in the semi finals of the World Cup was forty years ago, and not since 1950 when they beat Brazil in the final, have they been within a whisker of glory. Uruguay have won the World Cup twice in their history, but they were soon left behind as the game developed more, with Brazil and Argentina rising to power from South America. Uruguay have been perhaps the surprise team of the tournament so far, winning Group A and pushing on through to the quarter finals. Uruguay have a lot of historical background on their shoulders and for the first time in decades, they are actually looking to embrace their rich football history instead of being overwhelmed by it. They are coached by El Maestro, Oscar Tabarez, who sets up a very disciplined side that is very typical of the South American sides. South Americans use the ball well when in possession, but as not everyone can play like Brazil or Argentina, Uruguay rely on their physical strength and defensive organisational skills. They still have the crisp passing and inventive movement off the ball of South American teams, they are just more cautious in their approach, as they have not got the overall ability to match the Brazils of this world. This, in no way, is detrimental to Uruguay, who have sort of found their niche in play an organised system.

While the style of Uruguay has not had the overall flair of any of the other South Americans, they have attracted more and more interest because of how economical and efficient they are. They know that they have the firepower to go and get goals, but they do not play an offensive game. They sit back and wait for the opposition to be too adventurous going forward, and then strike themselves on the counter attack. While that is the main game plan which has been in operation during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, there have been periods when Uruguay have been a little more adventurous going forward, and they stroke the ball around like any other team from their continent. They have an extra gear into which they can kick, if they really need to, but unless they have to, then they are not going to throw caution to the wind. This is the strategy which has helped them counter teams which are faster than them, and who like to play the ball in the middle of the park. Uruguay have been very disciplined in not giving away many fouls, but their tackling and closing down in midfield is highly impressive. They are a hard working team, and if spirit and work ethic alone could get you to the World Cup final, then they would be there. They have been an oddly negative breath of fresh air in the tournament, and have won their fans. If they do need to chase games, then they could really show their glittering attacking skills, after Tabarez admitted that his team have not been as adventurous as others. The capability to be so though, is there.

Tactics: The star players are actually in their forwards, even though a lot of their game is based on defence. When you start spreading names like Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez around, you know you have two strikers who can keep good company with some of the world’s elite. There is a third striker on the pitch, Edinson Cavani, who does a tremendous amount of tracking back when the opponents have the ball. As with all South American teams, the key spot in the team goes to their most creative player, and ex Manchester United player Diego Forlan holds that precious number 10 shirt. He doesn’t play as an out and out striker, leaving those roles for Suarez and Cavani, but Forlan drops in behind them and pulls a lot of the strings. If he does wander up top with Suarez, then you may see Cavani holding back for example. This is because there are three midfielders behind them anyway, with the incredibly consistent Diego Perez the defensive midfielder. With two players either side of him, Uruguay make things difficult for teams who want to go through them. They force opposition wide to snuffle out attacks.
 
Coach: Oscar Tabarez - a very experienced man, who, like any international manager has had his critics. Main points of concerns about him, is that he is not a very inspirational leader, and has tinkered with tactics a few too many times, making the side unsettled. There haven’t been any signs of that though, and that same criticism could be levelled at Argentina’s Maradona, and look what he is doing. His style is not expansive, but he does work with what he has got and gets the best out of them. He isn’t scared of changing tactics during a match, and he will adapt as he goes along to situations

Uruguay World Cup 2010 Stats

Results
Uruguay 2, South Korea 1
Uruguay 1, Mexico 0
Uruguay 1, South Africa 0
Uruguay 0, France 0

Goals: 6 For, 1 Against
Cards: Y3, SY1, R0
Top Passer: Diego Forlan (188 passes, 58% completion rate)
Most Fouls: Luis Suarez, 8

Last 10 Match Uruguay Form:  WLWDWWDWWW

Probable Route to Winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup: Ghana (Q/F), Brazil (S/F), Spain (F)

Uruguay Betting Tips

Stage of Elimination
Quarter Finals: 13/8 at SkyBet
Semi Finals: 5/6 at SportingBet
Winners: 11/2 at Bet365
Runners Up: 7/1 at Coral

Uruguay’s Top Goal scorer
Luis Suarez 1/5 at SkyBet (3 goals)
Diego Forlan 4/1 at Ladbrokes (2 goals)

Uruguay Betting Tip: Uruguay 11/10 at Bet365 to beat Ghana in Quarter Finals