Game 1:  Netherlands 2 : 1 Brazil

• Netherlands: Things looked shaky from the start for the Netherlands after one of their main defenders, Mathijsen couldn’t play, making the team turn to 35 year old Ooijer.  They looked slow and the defense was too spread out, giving Robinho the early goal.  However the Oranje had a great performance in the second half, the team was aggressive, took more possession, and got their reward with 2 goals. They were a little lucky, especially on the first goal, — which was a Brazilian own goal — but they did deserve to progress. Sneijder and Robben are showing they are among the best players at the tournament, they were threatening the Brazilian defense with dribbling, passing and set-pieces. Going forward their defense is still a huge question, especially with Mathijsen out, but their offense should give Uruguay quite a challenge.

• Brazil: It was really a tale of two halves for Brazil. In the first half, they had good defense, passing and off the ball movement, which ultimately resulted in them taking the lead. However in the second half, the defense was shaky, the players seemed undisciplined and lacking creativity, all of which resulted in their loss. Going forward the future is bright for Brazil, they could use more creative players in the middle, but they really have new talent in every position and with the likes of Pato, Neymar and Ganso pushing for a regular first team place, they should be favorites in any tournament they enter.

Game 2:  Uruguay (4) 1 : 1 (2) Ghana

• Uruguay: Diego Forlán certainly showed why he is one of the best strikers at the tournament, scoring a goal and impressing with his positioning and set-pieces. Their defense did look a little nervous at times, but they definitely have the potential to play better. Suárez’s red card when punching the ball off the line during the 120th minute proved to actually be a game saver, as without it Uruguay would have lost. Suárez’s suspension will definitely hurt, as they go forward and face the Netherlands, and with Nicolás Lodeiro also out of the tournament due to a fracture, Palermo’s Edinson Cavani will be counted on to really step up. They will need to use more of their chances to beat Holland.

• Ghana: A good performance overall from Ghana, they used their pace and passing ability to create a lot of good opportunities. Their defense was strong for the most part, but they had a few bad first touches attacking. Unlucky in the end, they just couldn’t put away the penalties. Going forward, they have a really good young team that will only keep improving, and with players such as Gyan, Adiyiah and Asamoah, they will be competing for years to come.