Pentalties:

The Netherlands' Cillessen is in goal for the shootout, not Krol, as in the prev
ious match. For Argentina, it's Romero.
The rain has eased up a bit as the Dutch win the coin flip and get the advantage
ous first man at-bat.
Round One: Romero drives left to block Vlaar on a weak try. Messi goes high for
an easy one. Argentina 1-0.
Round Two: A more seasoned Dutch shooter, Robben, nails it. Defender Ezekial Gar
ay scorches it into the roof of the net. Argentina 2-1.
Round Three: Sneidjer aims high, but Romero is there with a mighty save. Cilless
en gets close to Aguero's low ball to the left, but misses. Argentina 3-1.
Round Four: Dirk Kuyt keeps the Dutch alive with a make. Up steps Rodriguez, a s
ubstitute in the 100th minute. He salts it away for Argentina, which takes the s
hootout 4-2.
Extra time:
Part II of OT begins with an injury to Argentine defender Pablo Zabaleta. He is
treated on the field for a cut near the chin, changes into a blood-less jersey o
n the sideline and, with absorbent gauze in his mouth, returns to action.
Argentina generates some late chances. In the 116th minute, Palacio jitters past
the defense and tries to head a bouncing ball, but gets little push on it.
Shortly thereafter, Messi makes a trademark cross from near the goal line to Rod
riguez, who cannot get his foot solidly on it. The struck ball bounces once, int
o Cillessen's grasp.
Before the shootout arrives, the Dutch get a half-chance, but this game is headi
ng to penalty kicks.
105th minute
As the overtime begins, many eyes are on the Dutch sideline, where goalkeeper Ti
m Krul, the star of the quarterfinals win, is loosening up for the possible pena
lty kicks tie-breaker. But he will not be called on because they use the final s
ubstitute for van Persie, who was questionable with a stomach ailment. On comes
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and starting keeper Cillessen now knows he would be the man
for the shootout.
The tireless Robben is playing as if he were preserving energy. He hits a blazer
that finds the midsection of Romero. Minutes later, his advancement is impeded
by a turnover that involved plenty of contact, angering the Dutchman. At least h
e did not dive.
Argentina appears content to accept a shootout, as suggested by its defensive-or
iented switch of Maxi Rodriguez for Lavezzi. Still 0-0 after the first half of O
T.
Regular time:
90th minute
Argentina makes a pair of substitutions in the 81st minute. Sergio Aguero, who h
ad been projected to start for the injured di Maria, and Rodrigio Palacio come o
n for Perez and Higuain.
Aguero can become a hero if he converts from inside the box at a sharp angle. He
cannot pivot sufficiently to threaten.
Robben gets a dribbling run deep into the box at the start of stoppage time, onl
y to be denied by Mascherano on a clinical tackle.
Regulation expires without a score. The Netherlands, in fact, just managed its f
irst attempt on goal. It's on to overtime -- and, by all appearances, a shootout
.
80th minute
The skies open after an hour of play. The rain might cut down on the exhaustion
rate, though the players have largely taken care of that themselves with a cauti
ous approach.
With 15 minutes remaining, the shots count is up to six, four by Argentina. Even
Messi is out of sorts, badly hitting a free kick. An earlier corner kick probab
ly was the worst of his illustrious career.
Janmaat and van Persie breathe some life into the Netherlands by combining for w
hat creates a van Persie bicycle kick. It veers over the bar, and Argentina rush
es down for an apparent goal that is promptly wiped off the board for offside.
65th minute
The Dutch remove Martins Indi, perhaps fearing another yellow card on the overly
forceful defender. Daryl Janmaat slides in.
Predictably, the flow picks up, particularly with the Dutch as Robben finally an
nounces his presence.
The first inviting chance for either side comes almost an hour into the game. A
cross from the corner by Argentina's Ezequiel Lavezzi lands at the head of Gonza
lo Higuain. His header goes directly into the ground.
De Jong, the unexpected Dutch starter in midfield because of a groin injury, com
es off in favor of Jordy Clasie.
Halftime
An uneventful first half ended not only scoreless, but nearly shot-less. With pl
enty of firepower on both sides, Argentina registers two attempts, one more than
the Netherlands. At times, the teams seem more interested in controlling the ba
ll than doing something productive with it.
The Dutch swarm Messi whenever he is on the dribble. A foul on a high-placed elb
ow sends a message that he will not be given license to roam free. Late in the p
eriod, Bruno Martins Indi is issued a yellow card for tripping the Argentine.
Messi does line up for a direct free knick from a few yards outside the box, a d
anger area for the Dutch. But goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen swallows up the ball.
Both sides survive injury scares. Argentina midfielder gets the worse of a bumpi
ng of heads, stays down for awhile, then returns after presumably being medicall
y cleared. The Netherlands' Wesley Sneidjer limps off the field, gets his lower
leg sprayed by a freezing substance and soon resumes play.