Round-up: Netherlands defeated on night to honour Cruyff

Sport360 staff 07:37 26/03/2016
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  • Tribute: Play stopped in the 14th minute.

    Dutch and French football fans filling Amsterdam’s ArenA stadium for once put rivalries aside, united in the memory of Johan Cruyff, who died a day before aged 68.

    A usually festive atmosphere for the friendly on Friday night was tempered by the news of Cruyff’s passing, with many fans speaking respectfully of Holland’s “greatest-ever”.

    Inside the 53,00-capacity stadium, the game was halted in the 14th minute for an unprecedented tribute – the moment chosen for the number 14 that Cruyff wore on the back of his playing shirt.

    Players and the packed stadium applauded for one minute before the game resumed.

    France dominated the first half and found themselves two-up through Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud. The second half saw Nigel de Jong and Ibrahim Afellay level things up for the hosts. But Blaise Matuidi, wearing the No. 14 shirt, sealed a 3-2 win late on for the visitors.

    Elsewhere, Gerardo Martino was effusive in his praise of the “phenomenal” Lionel Messi after Argentina’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over Chile in Santiago.

    Captain Messi missed his country’s first four qualifiers, but was key as Argentina came from a goal down to gain a measure of revenge on the team that beat them in last year’s Copa America final.

    “Messi was absolutely phenomenal in the first half,” Martino said. “He was less influential after the break because he did not see as much of the ball as in the first half. We sat a bit deeper after the break in order to contain Chile. They are one of the best teams in the world. We really needed a win here.

    “Either way, regardless of whether it was the defeat versus Ecuador or the win over Colombia, the absence of the best player in the world hurt us.

    “We always play better when Messi is there.”

    Argentina eventually prevailed courtesy of goals from Angel di Maria and defender Gabriel Mercado after falling behind early on to a 10th minute Felipe Gutierrez striker in Santiago.

    The visitors overcame the deficit with an assured performance thereafter.

    Elsewhere, Dunga’s Brazil drew 2-2 at home to Uruguay with goals from Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez levelling proceedings after the hosts had raced into an early two-goal lead courtesy of Douglas Costa and Renato Augusto.

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