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Netherlands national football team
World Cup | Semi-Finals
Jul 9, 2014 at 9pm UK
 
Argentina national football team

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Argentina win 4-2 on penalties

Javier Mascherano: 'Possession is key against the Netherlands'

Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano believes that his side must do their best to keep the ball during their World Cup semi-final against the Netherlands.

Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano has claimed that possession will be key for his side during their World Cup semi-final against the Netherlands.

The two footballing powerhouses go head to head in Sao Paulo on Wednesday night, with the winner facing either hosts Brazil or Germany in the final.

Mascherano believes that he and his teammates will need to be fully focused tomorrow if they are to thwart the counter-attacking style of the Dutch.

"We know that we are going to play against a team that is at its best when playing on the counter-attack, because of the pace they have in attack," he told FIFA.com.

"We need to make sure we don't lose the ball unnecessarily. Concentration will be key, along with the way we set our stall out in the match, and we will need to be patient when it comes to making decisions."

Mascherano has scored three goals in 102 appearances for Argentina.

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Barcelona's Javier Mascherano in action during the match against Atletico Madrid on August 28, 2013
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

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Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

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Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

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Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

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Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

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Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

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Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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