SAO PAULO, July 8 — The Netherlands face Argentina in a World Cup semi-final in Sao Paulo on Thursday, here is how they reached this stage and their World Cup records:
The Netherlands
Quarter-finals, July 5 at Salvador: Netherlands 0 Costa Rica 0 after extra-time (Netherlands win 4-3 on penalties)
Last 16, June 29 at Fortaleza: Netherlands 2 (Sneijder 88, Huntelaar 90+4-pen) Mexico 1 (Dos Santos 48)
Group stage, June 13 at Salvador: Netherlands 5 (Van Persie 44, 72, Robben 53, 80, De Vrij 64) Spain 1 (Xabi Alonso 27-pen)
June 18 at Porto Alegre: Netherlands 3 (Robben 20, Van Persie 58, Depay 68) Australia 2 (Cahill 21, Jedinak 54-pen)
June 23 at Sao Paulo: Netherlands 2 (Fer 77, Depay 90+2) Chile 0
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax)(1), Tim Krul (Newcaste United/ENG)(22), Michel Vorm (Swansea City/ENG)(23)
Defenders: Daley Blind (Ajax)(5), Daryl Janmaat(7), Terence Kongolo(14), Bruno Martins Indi(4) (all Feyenoord), Joel Veltman (Ajax)(13), Paul Verhaegh (FC Augsburg/GER)(12), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa/ENG)(2), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord)(3)
Midfielders: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord)(16), Leroy Fer (Norwich City/ENG)(18), Jonathan De Guzman (Swansea City/ENG on loan from Villarreal/ESP)(8), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan/ITA)(6), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray/TUR)(10), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven)(20)
Forwards: Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven)(21), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04/GER)(19), Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce/TUR)(15), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev/UKR)(17), Robin van Persie (Manchester United/ENG)(9), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich/GER)(11)
Coach: Louis van Gaal (NED)
World Cup best performance:
Finalist: 3 (1974 — lost 2-1 to West Germany, 1978 — lost 3-1 to Argentina after extra-time, 2010 — lost 1-0 to Spain after extra-time)
Leading all-time World Cup goal scorer: Johnny Rep — 7 (1974/78)
Argentina
Quarter-final, July 5 at Brasilia: Argentina 1 (Higuain 8) Belgium 0
Last 16, July 1 at Sao Paulo: Argentina 1 (Di Maria 118) Switzerland 0 after extra-time
Group stage, June 15 at Rio de Janeiro: Argentina 2 (Kolasinac 3-og, Messi 65) Bosnia 1 (Ibisevic 84)
June 21 at Belo Horizonte: Argentina 1 (Messi 90+1) Iran 0
June 25 at Porto Alegre: Argentina 3 (Messi 3, 45+1, Rojo 50) Nigeria 2 (Musa 4, 47)
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Mariano Andujar (Catania/ITA on loan from Napoli/ITA)(21), Agustin Orion (Boca Juniors)(12), Sergio Romero (Monaco/FRA on loan from Sampdoria/ITA)(1)
Defenders: José Basanta (Monterrey/MEX)(23), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City/ENG)(15), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica/POR)(2), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon/POR)(16), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City/ENG)(4), Hugo Campagnaro (Inter/ITA)(3), Federico Fernandez (Napoli/ITA)(17)
Midfielders: Ricardo Alvarez (Inter/ITA)(19), Lucas Biglia (Lazio/ITA)(6), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid/ESP)(7), Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo/ESP)(13), Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors)(5), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona/ESP)(14), Enzo Perez (Benfica/POR)(8), Maxi Rodriguez (Newll's Old Boys)(11)
Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City/ENG)(20), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli/ITA)(9), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)(22), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/ESP)(10), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter/ITA)(18)
Coach: Alejandro Sabella (ARG)
World Cup best performance
Winners: 2 (1978 — beat the Netherlands 3-1 after extra-time, 1986 — beat West Germany 3-2)
Finalists: 2 (1930 — lost 4-2 to Uruguay, 1990 — lost 1-0 to West Germany)
Leading all-time World Cup goal scorer: Gabriel Batistuta — 10 (1994/98/2002) — AFP
