There can be no doubt that overall, Mexico had the better first half, and there was a lot of good fortune for Holland for most of it, but bad luck at the end regarding a penalty claim. Still, at 38.8 degrees at pitch-side, in the sun, it's no wonder the players struggled a little bit.
1st Half
18 minutes - Van Persie was lucky to escape a Yellow Card for a shirt-pull in the box. If a defended had done this, there would have been a card shown without question. However, attackers manage to get away with this sort of cheating.
20 minutes - Two Dutch defenders decide to try and decapitate the Mexican attacker, and yet the referee decides not to award a penalty, nor even decide to give an indirect free kick for dangerous play. Confusing as fuck.
22 minutes - Robben falls over (as usual) on the edge of the box, and the referee decides it isn't a free kick (and that he dived). A good call, but again, lucky for the attacker who is clearly trying to gain an unfair advantage; no Yellow Card.
42 minutes - Martins Indi decides to hack at the ball and a Mexican's legs, but strangely avoids getting a Yellow Card.
45+2 minutes - Robben is clearly fouled, twice, by Mexican defenders, and this should have led to a penalty being awarded. Still, with his record for falling over, diving, appealing and generally moaning, I suspect the referee had to interpret Robben's calamitous descent to ground level with a pinch of (on this occasion, non-existent) salt. Crying wolf, Robben, has come back to bite.
2nd Half
47 minutes - Excellent goal scored by Giovani dos Santos for Mexico.
56 minutes - Save of the week from the Mexican keeper, from point blank range, diverting the shot on to the post - fantastic!
67 minutes - Robben steps on a Mexican's leg while trying to get back on his feet, and theatrically falls over with arms flailing. Another example of how he does himself no favours, and no penalty was awarded.
68 minutes - Aguilar gets a Yellow Card.
74 minutes - Robben decides to jump over a defender's scything leg and not fall over; unbelievable, considering his usual inability to ride any challenge. In effect, he dodged a certain penalty for Holland.
84 minutes - The keeper saves yet again at point blank range, although the offside flag was up anyway. Great performance from him
87 minutes - A 10th corner for Holland and a goal for Sneijder. Good goal, but Holland have been rather lucky to get a goal after a rather limp performance so far.
91 minutes - A penalty for Robben; it was a penalty, although it is still fucking annoying that he leaps forward as though he's diving at the start of the 100m Freestyle swimming event!
93 minutes - The Number 19 scores from the kick, and this is cruel for Mexico.
Instead of extra time, and a reasonable 1-1 result after normal time, the Dutch get a win from nowhere, and the Mexicans must suffer yet again.
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