Netherlands hold firm to reach final

The Netherlands reached the FIFA World Cup final for the first time since 1978, goals from Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben seeing off a determined Uruguay in Cape Town.

Uruguay had won three of the sides' previous four meetings but it was their opponents who struck first, captain Van Bronckhorst marking his 105th international appearance with an unstoppable drive from long range in the 18th minute. Uruguay, champions in 1930 and 1950, swiftly regrouped and responded with a goal from distance of their own through Diego Forlán shortly before half-time. Both teams had chances in the third quarter of the match, but goals in the final 20 minutes from Sneijder and Robben sent the Oranje into a final against Germany or Spain in Johannesburg on Sunday despite Maxi Pereira's added-time effort.

In their first semi-final since 1998, the Netherlands began the brighter, Dirk Kuyt shooting too high following a fourth-minute corner. Both teams had chances to launch promising attacks in an open start, but when the first goal arrived it came out of the blue. The Netherlands worked the ball to Van Bronckhorst and the left-back let fly from more than 35 metres out, his unstoppable effort leaving Fernando Muslera clutching at air and finding the top corner.

Only a superbly-timed challenge from Martín Cáceres on Robben prevented Bert van Marwijk's team from doubling their lead, and Uruguay promptly threatened a goal of their own. Only the sheer weight of numbers prevented Edinson Cavani's cross reaching Forlán, who headed just wide moments later, yet there was to be no denying the Club Atlético de Madrid striker five minutes before half-time. A thunderous left-foot shot from range escaped Maarten Stekelenburg for Forlán's fourth goal of the finals to level the scores.

Van Bronckhorst then headed Álvaro Pereira's shot off the line with Stekelenburg stranded before the goalkeeper dived to his right to push away Forlán's curling free-kick. At the other end, Muslera was equal to a low effort from substitute Rafael van der Vaart, yet he was powerless to keep out Sneijder's deflected low effort from the edge of the penalty area 20 minutes from time.

The Netherlands – who won all eight qualifying games and now all six of their matches in South Africa – made the game safe three minutes later, Robben heading in Kuyt's inviting cross, although they were made to endure a tense finale after Maxi Pereira finished off a well-worked free-kick two minutes into added time. The Dutch held firm to earn the chance to at last consign their defeats in the 1974 and 1978 finals to history.