Netherlands, the irresistible attacking force, will look to vow the world again when they face Australia in their second match of Group B at the FIFA World Cup 2014.
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The Australia vs Netherlands match is scheduled for a 1 pm local time (9.30 pm IST, 5 pm BST, 12 pm ET) start with live coverage on Sony Six and Sony Six HD in India. The match can also be watched via live streaming online in India HERE in India. Catch the match in the UK on ITV and BBC with the live streaming option HERE or HERE. US viewers can watch the big game on ESPN and ABC while you can also live stream the action HERE. The match can be live streamed by viewers in Holland HERE, while Algeria and the rest of North Africa and Middle East viewers can live stream the action HERE. Australia viewers click HERE to watch the game live online, while South Africa viewers can catch the match HERE.
Holland were just awesome against Spain in their opening encounter last Friday, putting the defending world and European champions to the sword. The 5-1 victory was in no way flattering to Louis Van Gaal's men, and Australia will enter the match in Porto Alegre with a little trepidation.
What the Netherlands showed against Spain was incisive, well thought out and ruthless attacking intent, with their two superstars – Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben – coming to the fore.
Van Persie scored what has been easily the goal of the tournament, and is likely to remain so at the end as well, while Robben's pace and directness was too much to handle for Spain.
The Netherlands will be up against a different opposition in Australia, though; not a team like Spain that like to have the majority of possession and hold a high line.
There is absolutely no way Australia coach Ange Postecoglou will set his team out to defend with a high line; most likely they will defend as deep as they can and try to his Holland on the counter, while also taking advantage of all setpieces to make full use of Tim Cahill's tremendous heading ability.
"It was an amazing start for our World Cup, and I think we've made a lot of people very happy," Van Persie told FIFA's official website. "Now the focus is on Australia, and I think that will be completely different to the game against Spain.
"Australia have a very different style and I think we are going to have to adjust our own game to beat them. It's an interesting process, having to adjust your game every time."
The Socceroos played quite well against Chile, putting the South Americans under extreme pressure after going down two goals early in the game. On another day, Australia could have easily come away with a draw against Chile, if not a win, and Postecoglou's men will take that hope and confidence into the game against the mighty Dutch.
"We just need to be confident and show we can play football like we did for 70 minutes [against Chile]," striker Matthew Leckie said. "Chile is a world-class team and they couldn't handle us at times. If we do the things we can do good or great it doesn't matter what team it is, they're going to have problems."
Van Gaal said he believes Australia, who have never lost to the Dutch in three previous encounters, with a win and two draws, will not sit back and wait for Netherlands to come at them like everyone expects. The Holland coach, who has a lot of respect for his counterpart Postecoglou, is convinced Australia will come in with a lot more attacking intent and look to take the game to the Netherlands.
That strategy, if it is practised by Australia on Wednesday, can be a double-edged sword. Best case scenario – they catch Netherlands a little cold and pile them under pressure. However, worst case scenario – they become Holland's second victims of a thrashing.
Team news: Netherlands: Daley Blind, the man who played that incredible ball for that unbelievable goal by Van Persie, has been passed fit along with Ron Vlaar, after both players picked up knocks. "Vlaar is ready to play, Blind is ready to play," Van Gaal said. "All 23 players are fit."
That should mean an unchanged side for Van Gaal, although the coach refused to announce if he would stick with a 5-3-2 formation he adopted against Spain, or revert back to a more conventional 4-3-3.
"This will be an important factor in the match so I will not say much about it," Van Gaal added. "The difference against Australia is I can play both systems, which I could not do against Spain."
Australia: Defender Ivan Franjic has been ruled out of the tournament after tearing his hamstring in the match against Chile, and is expected to be replaced in the starting lineup by Ryan McGowan.
Expected lineups: Netherlands: Cillessen; Janmaat, De Vrij, Vlaar, Martins Indi, Blind; De Jong, De Guzman; Sneijder; Robben, Van Persie.
Australia: Ryan; McGowan, Wilkinson, Spiranovic, Davidson; Jedinak, Milligan; Leckie, Bresciano, Oar; Cahill.
Prediction: 2-1 to the Netherlands
