2014 FIFA World Cup Schedule, Predictions and Preview: Netherlands vs. Brazil in Third Place Game
With the semifinals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup already completed, just two more games will be played between four national teams this weekend, and one of them will be on Saturday when Brazil and the Netherlands play for third place in the tournament.
Germany and Argentina will be playing each other for a World Cup record third time in a much anticipated finals. But before that, fans get to see two powerhouse teams collide.
Both teams experienced a different type of defeat in the semi-final round and this would be a great chance to go out on a good note. Nobody remembers fourth place.
Brazil
Losing 7-1 to Germany wasn't exactly what fans had anticipated, especially at home. The injury to their best offensive player, Neymar, and the suspension of Thiago Silva proved to be too crippling. Silva wasn't just a great defender, he's also the team captain. Fortunately for Brazilians, he will be playing against the Netherlands.
Even though Brazil can't hoist their sixth World Cup title, it would be great if they could go out on a good note in the capital city. Finishing third place with a tournament that started with 32 teams is still very impressive. Most eyes will be on David Luiz, who has a long career ahead of him and is the future of Brazilian soccer.
Netherlands
Dutch fans are used to this by now. It seems as if almost every World Cup this country is so close, yet so far. In 2010, they lost in the finals to Spain and this time lost a nail-bitter to Argentina in a shootout. It's more of a disappointment for Brazil, however, to be playing for third place, considering the location and the high expectations.
This will be the fifth time the Netherlands take on Brazil in the World Cup tournament. The most recent matchup was in the 2010 quarterfinals, when they eliminated Brazil in South Africa. The Netherlands had the No. 1 offense during this World Cup, but couldn't score a single goal against Argentina in regulation or extra time. Maybe Robin van Persie can give fans one more flying header to add to their memories of this tournament.
Predictions
Don't be surprised if neither team looks as if they're giving one hundred percent effort. The Netherlands lost a heartbreaker and Brazil got embarrassed. Third place isn't what either team had in mind. You may see more substitutions than usual so other players get a chance to play.
In the end, Brazil wins 2-1.
Where and when to watch
These two teams will play each other on Saturday at 4 p.m. EST on ESPN. The game will be played at the Estádio de Nacional in the capital city of Brasilia. Fans can watch live streaming of the game with the WatchESPN app.
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